Megu and Suigin Tou's Excellent Adventures
by Aondehafka
Summary: A Rozen Maiden fic. Sequel to Atmung. The story of two people who are learning how to live... both of them almost human.
1. Chapter 1

Megu and Suigin Tou's Excellent Adventures

A Rozen Maiden fanfic by Aondehafka

Disclaimer: the characters and concepts of Rozen Maiden are owned by Peach Pit, not me. This story is based on the anime, not the manga.

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**Warning: This is set after the events of my previous Rozen Maiden story, **_**Atmung**_**. If you don't read that one first, you're going to be very confused.**

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Chapter 1: They Might Be Giants

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Rain fell in sheets from a sky the color of slate. This was a cloudburst that barely spared the energy for occasional gusts of wind; thunder and lightning were absent entirely, as if they had been drowned along with the vanished Tokyo pedestrian traffic. The deluge had lasted half an hour now, and showed no signs of slowing.

Regardless of the dampening effect of the weather, there was one event that struggled onward. The baseball game had begun at its regularly scheduled time despite the threatening skies, only five minutes before they opened up. Under the pouring clouds the pitchers, batters, and fielders played on, as if in tribute to Man's eternal struggle to triumph over the vagaries of Nature, or at least to avoid the issue by building covered stadiums.

Out of the multitude who had gathered to watch the game, there were two girls worthy of special note. One reason for this was they were the only two individuals in the entire stadium that no-one else had noticed—had been _allowed_ to notice—so far. They had taken seats two-thirds of the way up from ground level, just high enough for the drumming of the rain overhead to be a soothing background sound rather than a distraction. The taller of the two had fair skin, black hair, and grey eyes, and looked to have barely left her teenage years behind. She wore a pleasant blouse and pants combination. The other girl... well, her appearance was rather less conventional.

Suigin Tou stared down at the field then to her fellow spectators, trying to find some justification for the maddened thousands of people who had given up their Friday evening to cram into the Tokyo 'Big Egg'. "And this happens every week?" she asked her companion, a note of disbelief plain to hear.

"Every week?" Megu echoed. "I think it's more like five or six times a week."

The First Doll blinked. She started to mutter a disparaging remark about the incomprehensible nature of humanity, then swallowed the grumble. After investigating the path Shinku took and learning what some humans were capable of, Suigin Tou thought she probably ought to be relieved at the sight of all these docile sheep.

"Have you ever watched a baseball game before, Suigin Tou?" Megu asked.

"No," she replied. "I've never paid attention to this game. If I hadn't been awake in America during the 1920's, I wouldn't know anything about it at all." She peered down at the teams on the field. "I see they still aren't letting the dark-skinned players in with the pale ones."

"Mm," Megu said, too distracted by a sudden base hit and outfield error combo to pay attention.

"But of course, they're only human," Suigin Tou continued loftily. "I shouldn't be surprised to see them take so long to learn such a simple lesson."

"Mm."

"What about you, Megu?" Suigin Tou asked. She wasn't particularly interested in the answer, but being ignored had never sat well with her. "Who's your favorite player?"

"Oh, I don't have one," Megu answered. "I don't know any of them."

It was the second time in minutes that Suigin Tou had been taken aback. But she was almost used to it now; after Jun showed Megu how to unlock the power of the Rose Bond, the girl had turned one hundred and eighty degrees away from her old drifting, passive lifestyle and gone from a crawl to a run. To a Rozen Maiden, who had passed through the centuries without really changing (and who even now didn't like to think too hard about the significant changes she was experiencing), Megu's metamorphosis was astonishing – more remarkable than any caterpillar that ever grew wings and took flight.

Suigin Tou didn't particularly like being knocked off balance time and time again. However, when it happened all she had to do was contrast Megu's current attitude and activities to their bond's early days, and the irritation would fade. And so it was with patience that she asked, "Then you're _not_ a particular fan of the Yomiuri Giants?"

"No," Megu confessed. "I never even watched a game on television. A few years ago I had a nurse who came from America, and she told me many stories before she realized that hearing them just made me feel emptier. But that's all."

"I see." The First Doll paused, both for dramatic emphasis and to wait while Megu was distracted by the latest at-bat. "Or rather, I don't see."

"What don't you see?" Megu asked. She gestured at the countless throngs of spectators around them, filling the Tokyo Dome nearly to capacity. "Is it strange that I should want to come here now? To do something that's normal for so many people, but that I never, ever could have if you hadn't come to me?"

"Th-That's not what I meant," Suigin Tou said, lightly flustered.

"Then what did you mean?"

"If you're not a huge fan of the Giants, why..." Suigin Tou floated forward until she was filling Megu's field of vision. With her right hand she held up the '#1 pitcher Akira Kudo' pennant Megu had given her to hold; with her left she swept off the 'Yomiuri Giants' baseball cap that had nearly swallowed her head and gestured to the '2009 Destiny of Crushing Dominance' sports shirt which hid just about everything else. "Why did you buy all this and give it to me to hold?"

"I'd never heard of the other team at all," Megu explained. "I think the Giants are supposed to be the best team in the nation, the unofficial baseball team of all Japan. Or something like that."

"But... why me...?"

"Camouflage. Everyone expects to see fans wearing sports merchandise. Since you've got that as a disguise, it makes it easier for me to keep them all from noticing you."

"Oh." Suigin Tou waited awhile longer, watching as the latest hitter for the Giants hit a double, then successfully stole third, but was caught short when he tried to repeat the feat for a run. "Megu?"

"What is it?"

"I was _already_ hiding myself."

Megu blinked, surprised enough at this to turn halfway away from the game. "I didn't know you could."

"You must be joking!" Suigin Tou sputtered. "Bad enough it was Shinku and that pet of hers who developed such a useful thing – you can't seriously think I wouldn't learn how as well!"

"I never really thought about it," Megu admitted. Then her brow wrinkled in thought. "But if you don't need me to do that for you..."

Suigin Tou smiled, anticipating the removal of the ridiculous, oversized, overpriced merchandise.

Five minutes later, her smile had faded to the more familiar disconcerted look. Megu had yet to say anything else or take her purchases back. She had spent the time in deep thought, with a look of intense concentration on her face. The First Doll wasn't quite willing to disrupt that concentration, but she was becoming more and more curious, and perhaps slightly alarmed, to know what had taken such firm hold of her medium's mind.

All at once, everyone within ten feet of Megu let out a synchronized gasp. In the next moment, a gaping Suigin Tou was pushed aside by fans politely but firmly crowding around the girl, asking for autographs and wanting to know whether this was a promotional stunt or a private indulgence. Suigin Tou was frankly too shocked to respond as quickly as she would have liked.

Just as the First Doll was about to summon a wingstorm to scatter the flock, Megu took matters into her own hands. Even in their sudden mysterious enthusiasm, none of the fans had crowded so close as to breach her innermost personal space. And so with a mighty leap she shot straight up and out of their midst, shifting her path from vertical to diagonal once she was free of the crowd. She glided down to an aisleway thirty feet closer to the field, an unmistakably sheepish look on her face.

Suigin Tou hurried to join her. "What on earth was _that_?"

"I altered the cloaking effect for a moment," Megu answered, blushing faintly. "Instead of having them see something utterly unremarkable that they shouldn't notice at all, I made them think I was actually one of the Giants' star players."

"I suppose that explains the people calling you 'Misawa-san' and 'Koichi-sama'," Suigin Tou replied. "Was it an experiment, to see if you could make them think you were him even when he was down on the field?"

"No," Megu explained. "There is no 'Koichi Misawa'. I made the name up from two real Giants players, Hiromi Misawa and Koichi Okajima. I saw them on a bulletin the man in front of us was holding."

"So you made them believe in someone they actually knew didn't exist," Suigin Tou surmised. That explained the befuddled looks that had replaced the earlier fervor once Megu made her exit. She smiled approvingly, glad that her medium was discovering further applications for the Rose Bond. As far as Suigin Tou knew, she was the only Rozen Maiden who'd always cared about finding new ways to use her power, so this was just one more thing she and Megu had in common. "Nicely done."

"Actually I didn't think it through enough," Megu demurred. She dropped her cloaking field entirely and stepped over to tap a young boy on the shoulder. "Pardon me... are there any players for the Giants who aren't here today? Maybe someone who's sick?"

"That's right," the boy answered. "Hideki Makihara is out with a knee injury."

"Thank you." Megu stepped away and hid herself once more.

"Why did you want to know?" Suigin Tou asked.

"Just a thought."

"What kind of thought?" the First Doll pressed, not a bit reassured by the tone with which her medium had spoken.

"Well..." Megu trailed off, looking wistfully at the scoreboard. Bottom of the third inning, with the score three to zero in favor of the Dragons... the outlook definitely wasn't brilliant. "Isn't there a song in America that goes, 'Root, root, root for the home team, if they don't win it's a shame'?"

* * *

"Supporting the home team is one thing, Megu," Suigin Tou observed. "Disguising yourself as a player is another."

"I know that," Megu said meekly.

"And it's yet another thing to use your unique abilities to hit home runs on behalf of your 'adopted' team."

"I know."

"Especially a homerun that flies clear out of the ballpark."

"I know."

"The _covered and enclosed_ ballpark."

"Suigin Tou...?"

"Yes, Megu?"

"You've made your point."

"I should hope so," the First Doll grumbled. "That was NOT how I wanted to find out the Tokyo Dome management keeps agents on hand to prevent supernatural interference."

Megu grimaced, though if Suigin Tou had been paying attention she would have seen a smile hiding underneath the expression. It had certainly been an interesting fifteen minutes, getting out of there with their freedom and anonymity intact. Interesting, challenging, and heart-racing. "Out of curiosity, how would you rather have learned?"

"Hmm..." Suigin Tou spent an agreeable few moments drifting through a fantasy of Shinku and Jun in place of her and Megu. Except of course _that _Maiden and medium ended up drenched, captured, and humiliated, rather than pulling off a last-minute escape by bullet train as the sun broke through the clouds. "I'm sure I could think of something."

"Anyway, I wanted to thank you," Megu continued, seeing that her companion had let go of any remaining disgruntlement.

"You're welcome," Suigin Tou said with a shrug.

Megu blinked. "Don't you want to know what I'm saying thanks for?"

Suigin Tou shot her an inquisitive look. "I assumed it was for helping you get away." Megu might be growing by leaps and bounds, but she simply hadn't had time to build up the reserves of power that Jun enjoyed. By the time the Big Egg Blackwatch agents stepped in to confront her, she had already burned three-quarters of her available energy. Thus it had fallen to Suigin Tou to do most of the work in their mad scramble to escape.

"Of course there's that," Megu replied, "but it almost goes without saying."

"I beg to differ," Suigin Tou stated flatly. "That kind of effort _definitely_ merits a 'thank you'. I will not be taken for granted, Megu."

Megu smiled gently. "Counting on someone isn't the same thing as taking them for granted, Angel-san." Her smile widened at Suigin Tou's taken-aback look. "Who was it that spent her own energies to keep my heart from failing, without even telling me?" she asked. "Who yanked the I.V. out of my arm and me out of my bed, out of my old life entirely, to keep me safe from Laplace? And who was it that let herself be ripped to pieces by Bara Suishou's attack from behind, rather than draw on all my life to save herself?"

Suigin Tou put considerable effort into finding some pithy, unruffled comment, but came up short. The best she could do was give a reasonably composed nod.

"With all that, I think it's right for me to count on you," Megu continued. "And I wasn't trying to say I'm not grateful, or that I don't think you deserve thanks. I just meant there was something else, over and above what I already knew you would do for me."

"And what was that?"

"Even with me hitting three home runs for them, the Giants still weren't winning. I just wasn't strong enough to give them all the help they needed today. But you could have, Suigin Tou. As soon as I said I wanted the Giants to win, you could have made sure they did. You could have told me to sit back safe and sound while you took care of everything. And you didn't."

"I'm glad that meant a lot to you, Megu," Suigin Tou said dubiously, "but I'm not sure why it would."

"Shouldn't it? You let me stand or fall on my own," Megu explained. "You only gave me the help that I absolutely couldn't do without. It's like..." She stopped, groped for words, then reached out to lightly touch one of Suigin Tou's feathers. "You could carry me easily, Angel-san. But instead you gave me my own wings."

"Er, yes, well, you're my medium. Letting you grow stronger on your own just means you can provide more power for me," Suigin Tou managed.

"If you say so," Megu said gently, her smile not diminishing at the Maiden's words.

_'Blasted know-it-all humans,'_ Suigin Tou thought, looking away before she could get any more flustered. _'Still... even though the others have nothing in common with them, they feel so much affection... maybe I can understand a little better now...'_ Except for Shinku, the First Doll amended. She might dimly understand how the Gardeners or Hina Ichigo could care as much as they did, but she knew all the way down to her nonexistent bones that she'd never be able to comprehend Shinku's decision.

Nor did she want to dwell on it yet again. Better to think about what she'd gained than what she had lost. It might not be easy to talk about this, Suigin Tou reminded herself, but who exactly was she trying to impress here? Megu wouldn't think less of her if she somehow found the words to honestly say what she meant. And none of the other passengers could even see them. "Megu... I..."

With a screech and a squeal, the train slid to a halt. The instant it stopped moving, all doors on their car slammed open to admit a flood of Blackwatch agents. "THERE YOU ARE!" roared the lead enforcer. "Thought you could get away so easily, did you? Not on OUR watch, villains! Now drop the disguise field and come quietly!"

"Not a chance," Suigin Tou sneered back in unabashed relief, peeling away the roof with a single wing-swipe. "Come on, Megu, time to fly again."

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Author's Notes

Well, what do you know. For the first time I'm actually writing a sequel to one of my completed stories. I hope that everyone who liked _Atmung_ will enjoy this follow-up, and that adding it will draw in new readers as well.

With that being said, I have to warn you: you really need to watch the Rozen Maiden OVA _Ouverture_ before you read the next chapter. It draws heavily on information that's revealed there. You can see my profile for a link that will get you to where you need to go for access to those two episodes (at least as long as they remain unlicensed).

_Updated 8-13-2007_: When I first posted this story, I put it in the Anime X-overs category due to the importance that said crossovers have to the plot. However, the utter lack of attention the fic was getting compared to _Atmung_ prompted me to change it over to the Rozen Maiden category as well. Really it should have been there all along; for all the crossover elements and their importance, this story is exactly what the title says.

One more note before I go: in the original series we see Megu wearing pants much more often than we do a skirt (in fact, off the top of my head I can't remember her ever wearing such a garment). The same thing will be true here. I'm saying this now because I don't want to bother mentioning her clothing in each chapter, or have to reassure people that although she's flying blithely around she hasn't left her dignity behind.


	2. Chapter 2

Megu and Suigin Tou's Excellent Adventures

A Rozen Maiden fanfic by Aondehafka

Disclaimer: the characters and concepts of Rozen Maiden are owned by Peach Pit, not me. This story is based on the anime, not the manga.

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**Last Warning: You really need to have seen the Rozen Maiden OVA **_**Ouverture**_** before reading this for much of it to make sense.**

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Chapter 2: Turnabout Is Fair Play

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The amphitheater was filled to capacity. The muted hum of a hundred quiet conversations ebbed and flowed like the tide. People of all ages were there for the concert—at least, all ages that were old enough to purchase tickets—but what was more surprising was that all those age groups were equally represented. Grey-haired grandmothers stood next to university students. Fathers and mothers were present along with their teenaged children, with each generation anticipating the start of things as much as the other.

Of course, said teenagers were usually seated a few rows away from their parents. Some things bend more easily than they break.

"If there's even one empty seat, I can't see it," Suigin Tou observed from her midair perch next to Megu. The two of them were levitated twenty feet up, hanging well back to avoid accidental illumination from a spotlight. "I suppose the singer must be at least moderately talented, to draw such a crowd."

"I don't think 'moderately talented' is going far enough," Megu replied. "We could have gone to five baseball games, with me buying a disguise for you each time, for the price of a single ticket to this concert."

"I see. You didn't actually buy tickets, though, did you?" the First Doll asked. Megu certainly hadn't handed anything over to the ticket-takers at the entrance.

"Of course not. I don't have that much money."

"Yet here we are anyway. Do you not feel any guilt at all?" Suigin Tou asked, curious rather than trying to prod her medium's conscience.

"No. If I had bought a ticket, or one for each of us, the revenue would be the same and there would be fewer people enjoying the concert. Would that be better?"

"Of course not. I bow before your flawless logic," Suigin Tou said with a smirk.

Megu was quiet for a few moments, then, sounding slightly hesitant, spoke again. "You don't think it's wrong, do you? I can't see why you would, Angel-san, but if you do we'll leave. I wouldn't want to make you feel guilty or anything."

"Don't be silly. Feel guilty? Over such a small thing as this?" Suigin Tou shook her head in honest wonder. "You humans, always thinking so highly of yourselves. I might care about you, Megu, but certainly not this 'Tokiko Mima' songbird. I wouldn't bat an eye if you wanted to sneak out during intermission with her ticket-takings."

"Thank you," her medium said with an odd grimace. "I think."

The two were quiet for a little while. "Hmmm," Suigin Tou said at last, pulling her attention back from scanning the audience. "I didn't expect to see so many children and so many parents here. One or the other, certainly, but not both."

"It is unusual," Megu agreed. "Although... that makes me a little curious."

"About what?"

"Why would you know that? You've told me you never had a medium before, Suigin Tou, and all your life you've been focused on becoming Alice. That meant defeating the other dolls. It makes sense that you know many things about them, their strengths and weaknesses and so forth. But how much do you really know about humans? Why would you even bother to learn?"

Suigin Tou turned to look at her medium. "Why are you asking now, of all times?"

Megu shrugged. "Because we've still got a little while until everything starts. What is there to do, except talk? And..." she hesitated, then continued, "and because I was hoping that this time we're doing something you might enjoy too, not just me."

The First Doll gave a smirk that would have raised the hackles on any of her sisters. "Actually, I'd have to say that the baseball game was a positive experience. I did enjoy myself, there at the end."

"When we managed to lose all the agents except Shigeharu-san, and then you fought and trounced him?"

"Exactly. He should have known better than to take me on by himself, but he had a few interesting tactics nonetheless. I'm quite looking forward to refining them and seeing how well they work on Shinku."

"Wait a moment..." Megu protested, her brow furrowing at Suigin Tou's words. "Didn't you promise not to fight her anymore, after Jun showed me how to use our power?"

"Not exactly," Suigin Tou replied. "My promise was to cease hostilities. I won't give her the punishment she deserves for abandoning Father's will, but that doesn't mean I've given up on defeating her." Her smile faded, though it didn't disappear completely. "But I am waiting until she can do everything in that new body that she could in her true one. I won't have my victory cheapened."

"I see."

"And that actually ties back into the question you asked earlier," the Rozen Maiden continued. "About why I have paid attention to humans throughout my life. It was because there were useful things to learn from them, ideas on how to fight, or on how to use them as tools in my struggle."

Megu frowned. "That last part doesn't seem right, Suigin Tou. Remember, your father was a human too."

Suigin Tou flinched. "Well, you might be right," she admitted, her voice even quieter than the subdued tones they had been using. "Shinku did fling something in my face once, stated that Father had said we Rozen Maidens were not meant to cause pain or harm to humans. _I_ don't remember any such message from him, though."

"I wonder if that was on purpose," Megu said thoughtfully. "Ever since you told me there was some way any or all of you could become Alice, I've been thinking about how it could happen. Maybe you're supposed to find the way by working together. That could explain why he would give different pieces of the puzzle to different Rozen Maidens."

"Well, if that's so, then I hope Shinku has already passed along whatever keys she held," the First Doll snapped.

It was Megu's turn to flinch. "Ah... Angel-san," she said at last. "I think... I think you might be happier if you could let go of all this anger at Shinku."

"Then perhaps you shouldn't keep bringing her up!" Suigin Tou declared.

Megu hung her head. "Sorry," she whispered.

Silence stretched between the two of them for several minutes, an increasingly-awkward interval that was broken at last by Suigin Tou. "...I'm trying to let it go," she said in a near-whisper. "It's hard, though. Especially after that moment when we water-skiid by them, and I saw her in her real form and thought she'd come back to her senses."

"I guess that would have made it harder afterward, when you found out you were wrong."

"She's the one who's wrong," Suigin Tou retorted. "Now, and even before this happened. And in any case, my anger toward her hasn't always been a bad thing."

"Why not?" Megu asked, now so caught up in the conversation that she didn't notice the dimming of the house lights.

"Because of what it meant, from the beginning almost all the way to the end." Suigin Tou's only concession to the imminent beginning of the concert was to strengthen the stealth shield around her and Megu, that their conversation would go unnoticed even as the rest of the crowd fell silent. "All the others simply viewed the Alice Game as a series of one-on-one battles, nothing more. I was the only one to learn and apply real strategy... but even I had a blind spot. I was so determined to break Shinku all on my own, instead of finishing off the weaker ones to take the strength to crush her effortlessly." The First Doll sighed. "It's not easy, but I can be glad I made that mistake. For Father's sake, at least."

Megu blinked, unconsciously adjusting her vision to see normally now that the house lights had reached their lowest level. "But... how would that have made a difference? You _did_ eventually defeat Sousei Seki and take her Rosa Mystica. Why would it have been worse if it happened earlier?"

"Remember that I'm talking about centuries here, Megu," Suigin Tou said tightly, as the curtains at the front swept back to reveal the stage. "If I had done it like that, everything would have been different. Enju would never even have had a chance to play _his_ game."

"I see," Megu replied, paying no heed to the spotlight that lanced down to illuminate a slender, brown-haired girl wearing black pants and a white top. "You would have achieved Alice a long time ago, but none of the others would ever have been able to."

"And you would have lived and died in your bed at the hospital," Suigin Tou pointed out. The girl at the microphone was saying something now, some meaningless words of greeting or whatnot. In an instant the First Doll spread her wings wide then curved them around into a cocoon around her and Megu, blocking out the distraction before it could really get going. This discussion was much more important than some boring concert. "No, my anger at Shinku has stood me in very good stead. I have no intention of letting it all go."

A single note rang through the concert hall, piercing the First Doll's barrier and soul with equal ease.

The wall of feathers shivered and shattered, black pinions melting away like snow on a warm breeze. Suigin Tou didn't even notice, nor did she realize that she and Megu were drifting down to stand in an aisle. All her attention was fixed, was _riveted_, on the girl at the microphone singing her heart out.

The music rolled forth like a great leisurely wave, slow and inexorable as the tide, and as sorrowful as all the mourning ever done for those lost at sea. Suigin Tou could tell that there were words; in fact, since the girl was the only source of sound in the room, she dimly supposed that the music she heard must be contained entirely within those words. For a moment there at the beginning, she was even able to tell that what she was hearing was indeed Japanese.

That awareness faded quickly as the flood washed over her. She could no longer see the girl on the stage, merely a bright blur through the tears that veiled her eyes. But she wasn't paying attention to physical sights anyway. The First Doll of Rozen Maiden was caught up in what seemed like an endless surge of memories, most of them ones that she normally kept pushed as far away as possible.

She had two hands, but could only feel and move the left. Her body ended just below her equivalent of a breastbone. On the other side of the room there was a gown of violet and white, a gown that she knew had been meant for her... as were the pelvis and legs contained within it.

The gown was not a concern at the moment, though. All her attention was fixed on the man in the center of the room. His features were indistinct, blurred behind the soft, warm light that filled the room like a cloud. All she could see for certain was that he was Caucasian, blond, and a little over average height. If he was aware of her, his posture gave no sign of it; all his attention seemed focused on the crimson-gowned doll he held in his arms.

She was only peripherally aware of that doll, barely even noticed as the man gently stroked long golden hair and murmured something too soft for her to hear. The one arm she could move was outstretched, reaching vainly toward the man, reaching farther and trembling more desperately as he turned further away and faded somehow from her awareness, taking his latest masterwork with him. Long, long moments passed before she tumbled to the ground and began pulling herself along with the one arm that worked, heading instinctively toward her missing pieces as the first step on a long, lonely journey.

As her oldest and longest-suppressed memory rolled past, many others followed in its wake. These came swifter and with less clarity, but each pierced her all the same.

A loop of golden energy curved and tightened, and just that quickly the arm she'd torn away from Shinku was restored. Neither the Rozen Maiden nor her medium even spared a glance for Suigin Tou, just stared into each other's eyes as if each were the only other in the world.

Shinku held her gently upright, speaking words of encouragement and keeping her from falling. It had felt to Suigin Tou like a victory for both of them, as she learned to walk on legs connected only by cloth and her own will.

Her sister gaped at her through the forced dimness of her dreamscape, realizing that it truly was her this time, that Suigin Tou had returned from the destruction wrought upon her in Jun's dream. But where she had looked for defiance overlaying fear, there were instead tears and a whispered, "Thank goodness."

The Gardener's Shears ripped through her, and as the void swallowed her she held out her hand in desperation to Shinku. The Fifth Doll gazed at her in sadness but made no move to reach for her.

She smiled mockingly at Shinku, bound to the tree in her dreamscape and stretched nearly to breaking. Even then her sister glared back at her in utter defiance, refusing to yield the Rosa Mystica given to her by Father.

She stared in trembling, terrible disbelief as the water cascaded down and Shinku's form exploded upward, now perfectly sized for the robe that had been all but swallowing her.

The memories swirled around her, in no particular order but all bound to a common theme. Suigin Tou had known sorrow in the centuries of her existence, but it had never felt like this... or perhaps she'd never let herself feel it like this. There was no room for anger, only the grief she'd hidden beneath it for so long.

Such an abstract realization was only possible, she realized, because the song had ended. Or at least, the girl behind the microphone was no longer singing, merely standing there and gazing solemnly out over the audience. At the same time, though, the First Doll could still feel an echo of the song deep within her, quiet now rather than overpowering, but still real. Whether the other feelings would come back later, she couldn't tell, but for the moment she had no blame or vitriol to fling. All she could do was mourn what had happened between herself and the sister who'd first reached out to her.

The Rozen Maiden heaved a deep, shuddering breath, rose shakily back into the air, and refocused on the world around her. She was completely unsurprised to see her reaction mirrored throughout the room. Everywhere heads were bowed, eyes shimmered with tears, and chests trembled as people gulped for air like swimmers surfacing from deep water. For the first time in her life, Suigin Tou felt a sense of kinship with humans in general, not just her medium.

And speaking of which... she gasped and whirled to face the girl she'd almost forgotten under the pressure of whatever had just happened. If she had been affected so strongly, would Megu have broken outright?

Apparently not. Her medium wore an expression Suigin Tou had never seen on her before, but it was the diametric opposite of someone crushed beyond recovery.

"I could sing better than that," Megu hissed through clenched teeth.

* * *

By the time she realized she was moving, she had already taken five steps. Megu didn't pause when the realization hit her, but instead quickened her pace. The faces of the audience were little more than a blur, just barely registering through the red haze clouding her vision. After all, they might not be an immediate concern, but they were still important. It mattered very much that she wasn't the only victim here.

In her current state of mind, she found it difficult to maintain her stealth shield as she strode forward to the stage. It was a relief to finally let it go as she reached the front and took something halfway between a step and a leap. It carried her up and forward, depositing her inches away from the spotlight with a loud bang. The noise resounded through the theater, bringing many heads up to stare in confusion.

At the moment, though, Megu was only paying attention to one confused individual. Apparently Tokiko wasn't used to people appearing out of thin air to confront her; the girl had jumped enough to land in the hazy area at the spotlight's far edge. A nice start as far as it went, one part of Megu's mind calculated, but it hadn't gone far enough yet. Another, rather larger part, was suddenly focusing on the audience. More and more of them were looking up now, peering through tear-filled eyes at her as the sadness still so obvious on everyone was leavened by curiosity.

"What—" The monosyllable and a half-step forward were as far as Tokiko got.

"Quiet!" Megu gave the command as forcefully as she could—which, with the Rose Bond backing her up, was very forceful indeed. She wasn't quite sure how Tokiko had done what she did, but even her imperfect understanding was enough. Megu summoned up all the anger, the indignation, the outrage the other girl's tactic had provoked in her, and projected awareness of it straight into Tokiko's heart.

Her antagonist failed to duplicate Megu's feat of resistance. The brunette gasped and staggered backward, vanishing completely from view of the audience, stumbling blindly until she could brace herself against a wall and barely remain standing. Megu had already turned away, staring now out at the silent, bewildered crowd. The evidence of their earlier grief was still obvious, enough so that she felt a new spike of anger toward the singer who'd used them so cruelly... but then she took a deep breath and forced her perspective to shift.

It was time to stop thinking about what had been done to them, and focus on what she could do to set it right.

* * *

Suigin Tou gasped as a new cascade of notes filled the air, soaring like nightingales out of her medium's trembling throat. Megu's eyes were closed and her head was tilted back, and she sang with an abandon that Suigin Tou had never witnessed before. For a moment she even felt a stirring of resentment, that Megu would share with all these strangers what had previously been just between the two of them.

That resentment ended as quickly as it began. Megu's song wasn't as impressive as Tokiko's had been, not nearly as powerful or compelling. But Suigin Tou realized immediately that her medium hadn't even tried to do that. Where the first song had projected an emotion, inescapable and overwhelming, Megu's anthem took a crucially different route. The words and notes swelling throughout the room weren't a tide to drag the listeners under, but rather a window allowing them to see and share what was rising in the singer's own heart.

Suigin Tou sensed that her unique perspective allowed her a much clearer understanding than the general audience enjoyed. Where they merely heard a stirring song of hope and joy, the Rozen Maiden saw again the events she had lived through in the past few months—but she witnessed them now from Megu's perspective. She felt the first real cracking of the melancholic ice that had sheathed Megu for so long, as her medium understood how important she had become to her 'Angel-san'. She knew the exquisite pain when hope stirred, a hope Megu could neither suppress nor bring herself to trust, as Jun proved that the power of the Rose Bond need not only flow one way. She saw how close the girl had come to truly breaking down, how near to the edge of her frail strength she'd been driven as she first attempted to harness this power she less than half believed in. Her soul thrilled to joy such as neither of them had ever known, as her medium finally built her strength to the point where she could discard the physical flaw that had chained her down so long.

As Megu's song ended, Suigin Tou wiped new tears with a shaking hand and made a mental note to thank her... for more things than one. If that had been as intense as Tokiko's lament, she didn't know what shape she would have been left in.

* * *

The final note of the song faded tremulously into silence. This lasted a moment, and then the crowd went wild.

Megu opened her eyes and stared out at the audience, blinking rapidly to shed the tears which threatened to obscure her view. With all her heart she had wanted to lead them out of the pain and despair that had been pushed upon them, the burden she herself had barely managed to resist. She'd given it her all, and she had succeeded. It was worth every bit of the strength she'd used and the difficulty she'd experienced, taking one of the slow, wistful songs with which she was familiar and transforming it on the fly.

She wasn't sure how many more of those she had in her, but it didn't look like the crowd was ready to let her go just yet. Megu took a deep breath and smiled, feeling a welcome surge of boldness rise up within her. The American nurse she'd mentioned awhile back to Suigin Tou had tried many things to spark her charge's interest in life, one of which was sharing a song that fit rather well with a wish Megu had harbored even then. _'How did that song go,'_ she thought, casting her mind back over the years, and incidentally hoping that the Rose Bond could convey a translation effect from English to Japanese. _'A gathering of angels appeared above my head... they sang to me this song of hope, and this is what they said—'_

"How dare you!"

Megu blinked and half turned away from the crowd. Apparently Tokiko had recovered, at least enough to stand unsupported and glare furiously at her. "Isn't that my line?" she asked coolly. "I wasn't the one dragging them down to the depths of despair."

Oddly enough, this only seemed to further anger the other girl. "Are you saying I was?" she snapped, stalking closer. "If that's what you think, then they had no business sending someone as incompetent as you by herself! I didn't even come close to breaking the rules!"

"Rules? Sending me?" Everyone else in the room had experienced confusion at some point during this concert, and now it was Megu's turn. "Nobody _needed_ to send me up here to stop you from hurting those people!"

"What? Aren't you..." The brown-haired girl trailed off, her attention suddenly shifting away. Megu frowned in puzzlement and followed the direction of Tokiko's gaze, finally noticing that there was one other person in the room who wasn't among the general crowd: a woman standing half-hidden by shadows at the very back, with teal hair and a buxom figure garbed in Chinese clothes, holding a lute in one arm. The woman stared inscrutably back at her, then deliberately looked to Tokiko and shook her head.

"You aren't, are you," Tokiko said as she returned her attention to Megu. It was a statement, not a question, and barely audible over the fast-growing restlessness of the crowd. The brunette glanced away from her again, staring now over the audience in general.

Megu followed suit, her ears picking out various cries from the throng, noting that many of them seemed to know the other girl as 'Key' rather than 'Tokiko'. Her eyes widened as she heard her own name in the calls for more songs. She was feeling the first pangs of real uncertainty now, not so much from the loss of anonymity as from the fact that nobody crying out appeared to harbor any resentment toward the singer she'd tried to supplant.

Tokiko took several deep breaths, and afterward seemed reasonably calm. She even managed a smile, although it was harder and sharper than any truly benevolent expression would have been. "Very well, 'Megu', or whoever you are. They want to hear from both of us now." The smile sharpened further. "Let's give them a concert to remember."

By now it was blindingly obvious to Megu that she had jumped in without grasping the full reality of the situation. _'Let's see...'_ she mused. _'I could admit that and bow out as gracefully as possible... I could hide myself and run for it... I could yell for help from Suigin Tou...'_

Running that series of options through her head had the desired effect. Megu's lips curled into a grin that was softer but no weaker than Key's. _'Or I could hold true to what I promised myself about how I was going to live, now that I really am alive.'_ Aloud, she said, "Yes. Let's do that."

* * *

"Should we really be stopping so soon?" Suigin Tou inquired, in that tone of voice which means 'I don't think we should be stopping so soon.'

"Why not?" Megu asked, sitting down and extending her arms behind her in a long, weary stretch.

"Why not?" the First Doll echoed. She touched lightly down next to Megu on the rooftop, but remained standing with her wings twitching restlessly. "You're nearly out of power, and it's just the opposite for that 'Key' person. I don't know how she was doing it, but she was actually drawing in strength from the energies released by all those concert-goers."

Megu blinked. "Really? I didn't know that. I knew her performance was growing more and more powerful, but I just thought she was finally getting into the rhythm I shocked her out of." She hesitated, then continued, "And recovering all the way from my admonition."

"No," Suigin Tou declared. "She had shaken that off entirely by the time she issued her challenge. I'm not sure exactly what that girl was, but I don't think she's fully human." She stepped away from gravity's call once more, rising into the air and floating around in front of Megu. The First Doll gestured down to the concert hall, only a stone's throw away on the other side of the street and three stories down. The distance was nowhere near enough to hide the energy of the ongoing concert. Suigin Tou grimaced as she felt a particularly vigorous spike, and said, "It was smart of you to cloak yourself and leave when you did; if you'd started up one more song I was going to rush the stage and take care of matters myself. I certainly don't think we ought to sit around here waiting for her to reach the height of her power and come after us."

"She won't. At least, not like that," Megu said, her expression shifting into something wistful. "She won. I gave her a good run for her money; I think I even bested her on those first two songs, when she was still fighting with frustration and resentment at me. But I could feel the very moment when she let all that go. You could have too if you'd been that close, Angel-san."

"I'm not so sure about that," Suigin Tou muttered. "I'm no expert on emotions."

Megu smiled. "You could probably say we're learning together, couldn't you?"

"Probably so." Suigin Tou stared down at the concert hall for a few moments, then shook her head abruptly. "You're likely right, Megu, but we shouldn't put it to the test. Better to leave now if there's even a slim chance you're wrong."

"I don't see why," the girl protested. "I think it might be important to talk to her. I don't really understand what happened tonight, and I want to."

"I know," Suigin Tou replied. "And I can't say I understand either. But I do know what's important—you poured out everything you had to give us so many beautiful songs, and there's no way you could defend yourself now." Suigin Tou deliberately met Megu's gaze. "If she came after you for something more dangerous than a sing-off, I would have to deal with her. And with as much power as that little starlet has sucked down, that would mean striking as hard and viciously as I need to keep you safe. Like I did with Laplace."

Megu drew in a long, slow breath, then let it out with a whoosh. "Then you're right. We should go."

"Good." Suigin Tou turned and soared away. A few seconds later, she banked, returned, and observed, "I can't help but notice you're not moving, Megu." She paused, then said in a gentler tone, "I can carry you, if you're worried about spending the last of your strength to fly after me."

"It's not that," Megu said, staring at her companion with a curious, pondering gaze. "Suigin Tou... there's something you aren't saying. Something... I don't know what, but I can see it in your eyes."

Suigin Tou gritted her teeth, fought with the urge to simply grab Megu and go... then stared intently down at the concert hall. After a few moments' scrutiny assured her that Key wasn't about to leave her adoring public behind, she heaved a long sigh and muttered, "That's probably the guilt."

"Guilt?" Megu echoed quizzically.

"You _did_ hear them calling your name, didn't you?" Suigin Tou snapped. "I imagine it would have been hard to miss! Where do you think they heard that, if not from me?"

"I was wondering," Megu admitted. "But how did it happen?"

"I don't even know myself," the Rozen Maiden answered. "I can vaguely remember whispering it once, toward the end of your first song. Someone must have overheard me, though I can't imagine who would have been listening."

"That would be me."

Hearing the unexpected voice from one rooftop to her left, Megu blinked and turned to look. It was the teal-haired woman she'd noticed before, just before Key issued her challenge.

The newcomer offered Megu an enigmatic smile. "It wasn't easy to turn a deaf ear to that beautiful song. Still, I needed whatever information I could get, so I focused on your companion. And when I overheard her whisper a name, well, I passed it along to the room at large. The way you reacted told me it really was yours."

Suigin Tou's wings were now five times their resting length, quivering and bristling with hard-edged feathers. "Is that right," the First Doll pronounced, in a tone that had previously been reserved for addressing Shinku. "And who are you, to interfere like that?"

"My name is Mon Lon. And it's one of my duties to make sure Key doesn't abuse her abilities," the woman shot back. "Not on purpose, nor by accident which would be more likely. There's always a danger when ordinary people reach out to touch something powerful enough to crush them like bugs. They can't protect themselves, so we who can... we have to."

"Then why didn't you do or say anything during that first song?" Megu asked. "What really happened in there? Why was I the only one who resented it, when she forced so much misery down our throats?"

"Misery?" Suigin Tou interrupted. "That wasn't what I felt. Megu, what happened?"

"You didn't? How can you say that, Suigin Tou?" A look of uncertainty mixed with something darker spread over Megu's face. "Once her song was over and I wasn't putting everything I had into fighting it off, I looked at you. I could see the tears, the sadness, for you just like everyone else in the audience. Did you forget that?" The uncertainty was fading now, and the darkness growing stronger. "Was the last part of her song something to _make_ you forget?"

"Um, no, that's not it at all," Suigin Tou managed. "You said 'misery' at first. That's not the same thing as sorrow, is it?"

"Of course not. And Key starts every concert with a song like that," Mon Lon called, regaining their attention. The woman jumped over to their rooftop and walked closer. "People who _buy tickets_ know this. They are made fully aware of what they're getting into."

"Oh," Megu said. She sighed, then admitted, "I still don't understand."

"It's a tribute to someone very important to her, someone who died. That first song Key sings is the essence of mourning, of grief for what was lost. But honest grief is a critical part of healing, and it's something that people usually don't do as fully as they need to. Especially here in Japan," the minstrel explained. "People can go for years carrying burdens that they don't even see anymore, until Key brings them to their senses and helps them lay those things down." Mon Lon stared curiously at Megu. "It's a little traumatic, but it's also cleansing rather than hurtful. What went wrong for you?" Her expression hardened. "Don't tell me you're one of those overprivileged children who's never actually lost anyTHURKKH!"

"Don't, Suigin Tou!" Megu exclaimed.

The First Doll glared hatefully into Mon Lon's purpling face for a few seconds longer, then let the woman fall out of the mouth of her wing-drake. "Why don't you tell her what kind of life you actually did have, Megu." It had not been so very long ago when her medium lived in a constant state of low-grade mourning, believing that her life was worthless and honestly ready to let go of it. _'At least it sounds like she fought Key's influence off, rather than let that song pull her back to such a state,'_ Suigin Tou reflected, grasping for the pride that accompanied the thought. It was much better to think of what a good influence she had been on Megu, than consider how a song so good and beneficial for her had been pure poison for her medium.

"I don't think I want to share something like that with someone like her," Megu pronounced. "Anyway, I understand the important things now. I'll send Key a letter telling her I'm sorry, and how she can reach me if she wants a personal apology." She turned and began walking away.

**Cough Hack** "W-Wait. Please, wait," Mon Lon rasped, struggling back to a standing position. "I'm sorry! I don't like it, that I've been sent far away from my home and forced to serve in a place like this. But I shouldn't have taken that out on you." Considering that she kept a wary eye on Suigin Tou for the whole of her speech, it was anyone's guess just how heartfelt this apology really was.

"It's all right," Megu said. "I was much ruder to Mima-san than you were to me." She paused for a moment, wondering how someone as small as Suigin Tou could produce such a tremendous snort. "But I really do need to go now."

"I understand, but there's still something I need to ask you, and tell you." Mon Lon didn't risk waiting for Megu to agree. "From what you said, it sounded to me like you only gained these powers of yours recently. Is that right? They're not something you've worked and trained for all your life, are they?"

"Trained?" Megu echoed curiously, shaking her head. "How could anyone possibly train to do things like what you've seen me doing?" She heard Suigin Tou mutter something under her breath, but it was too faint to make out.

Mon Lon opted not to answer the question directly. "If you _had_ gotten your power by spending your life working toward it in a slow, steady progression, there are many things you would have known already. Things you don't, that you need to. Tonight was enough to prove that, wasn't it?"

"I suppose so. Are you offering to tell me?" Apologies all around or not, there was a distinct lack of enthusiasm in Megu's voice.

"No," Mon Lon replied, once again looking warily at Suigin Tou rather than the girl she was addressing. "I really need to get back to watching over Key, and there are many others in Nerima who would explain things better than I would. Here." The woman produced a business card and sent it sailing through the air toward Megu.

Suigin Tou barely managed to shake off the paralysis that had struck her on hearing a particular word. She caught the card an instant before it would have reached her medium. "Thank you, we will give this all due consideration. But you might want to run along now," she advised, gesturing toward the concert hall. "I can hear several of those humans' heartbeats growing dangerously faint. Almost as if someone were drawing too much of their life away."

Mon Lon bit off an extremely rude word in Mandarin and raced away. "Is that true, Suigin Tou?" Megu asked worriedly.

"Of course not," the First Doll replied. "Now let's go."

"Um... the business card?"

"Oh, right. I was forgetting that." Blue flames danced merrily through Suigin Tou's fingers, and the card was reduced to so much ash.

Megu blinked. "Ah... Angel-san?"

"Megu." Suigin Tou heaved a long, deep sigh, then floated around to stare into her medium's eyes. "Tonight has been very hard for me," she stated. "Anger, sorrow, joy, comfort, confusion, outrage, and then a nice jolt of terror to top it all off. I can't take anything more right now." Her gaze sharpened. "I have never asked you for anything before, Megu, but I am asking now. Please, never bring up Nerima again or ask me anything about it."

"What? But... I don't underst—" Megu cut herself off as she saw the desperation in Suigin Tou's eyes. "All right, Suigin Tou. I promise."

The First Doll heaved a long, shuddering sigh. "Thank you," she said. "Now let's go home."

"Mm." Megu rose into the air and glided away, with Suigin Tou beside her easily matching her pace.

They flew in silence for awhile, each lost in her own thoughts. Eventually Megu decided to share hers. "It's certainly been an eventful night, hasn't it?"

Suigin Tou merely grunted in reply.

"I'll be quiet if you really don't want to talk," Megu continued. "But I was wondering..."

"Wondering what?" Suigin Tou said semi-reluctantly, after it became obvious her medium wouldn't continue without being prompted.

"You said that in the end you decided the baseball game was a good thing. What do you think about tonight?"

The First Doll was quiet for a long stretch of time, so long Megu had almost given up on an answer by the time it came. "It was good. I wish you hadn't been hurt, though."

"And I wish I hadn't hurt Mima-san," Megu said, her voice nearly inaudible over the wind of their flight.

"Bah. She recovered quickly enough," Suigin Tou said dismissively. "What if you hadn't done what you did? All those who heard your songs tonight... it's true they wouldn't have known what they were missing if you weren't there. But that doesn't change how powerfully you touched them all."

"Maybe that does balance it out. It would be nice to think so," Megu said. "Still, I think there's something important I need to learn from this. Even kindness and good intentions can cause problems, if you think your own point of view is the be-all and end-all of truth."

"Perhaps so," Suigin Tou replied quietly, then fell silent again. For the first time since watching Megu stride off toward the stage, she let her thoughts drift back to the memories that had been awakened within her. "And maybe there are other lessons as well."

* * *

Author's Notes

The characters and concepts of Key the Metal Idol are owned by Hiroaki Sato and Studio Pierrot, not me. I did my best to write this so that knowledge of that series was unnecessary (although those who are familiar with it may catch one joke that those who aren't won't). And as Mon Lon is from Ranma ½, nor will she be the last such person who makes an appearance, I should also acknowledge that those characters and concepts are owned by Shogakuken, Viz Video, and Rumiko Takahashi.

Next chapter will give you one last sizeable chunk of pure-Rozen Maiden material, but the two chapters after that will be as crossed-over as this one, or even more so. Hopefully no-one minds too much. There's a good reason why I chose to include crossovers as such an integral part of my tale (a decision made way back when I first started writing _Atmung_), which I hope to make clear by the end of this story in chapter 5.

* * *

Omake (for those who don't know the term, it means that the following is not part of the official story):

Shinku gazed down at the small, brightly-wrapped package in her hand. She stared for a moment, then looked up into her sister's face. Back and forth, forth and back... All the while Suigin Tou waited patiently, hovering at eye-level with her Jusenkyo-touched sibling.

"You want to apologize," Shinku eventually managed, regarding Suigin Tou with her most intense scrutiny yet. She couldn't see a hint of the old hostility that had been there in the past, nor any of the emotions that the First Doll had often used to obscure it. All that she could find in Suigin Tou's gaze was a steady, sober determination.

"Yes," Suigin Tou answered. "To all of you." She gestured to Hina Ichigo, standing uncertainly next to a gift-wrapped package several times her size, then to Suisei Seki who was gingerly shaking a rectangular, suspiciously bookish-looking parcel. "To you in particular, Shinku. Please, go ahead and open that."

"All right," Shinku said, trying to keep any doubt out of her tone. With no further ado, she shucked off the paper, revealing a jewelry box a little larger than ring-size. She opened it... and gasped loudly enough to make Hina Ichigo jump.

The box slipped right through Shinku's nerveless fingers, but not for nothing had Jun survived a year at Furinkan High. He was merely a blur as he crossed the slight distance between him and Shinku, catching the object before it could fall six inches. He kept one wary eye on Suigin Tou as he stared into the box. It held a brooch similar to one he'd once tried to give to Shinku. She hadn't taken that gift well at all, but now...

"Is it a copy of the one that she used to have?" he asked Suigin Tou. "The one that you broke?"

"No," the First Doll answered calmly. "It's the very same brooch."

She let the thunderous silence stretch for a few moments, then continued. "Shinku kept most of the pieces, but she could never put them back together because she missed the two smallest fragments, left them behind in my dreamworld. I had to shovel five million cubic feet of snow to recover those, then retrieve the other pieces from where Shinku kept them hidden before I could finally make that repair." She turned back to face Shinku. "So there you have it, little sister. I wanted my apology to be something more than just words."

"I..." Shinku gulped, and blinked tears out of her eyes. "I don't know what to say," she whispered, stamping firmly down on the part of her that wanted to point out that she could hardly wear it as a human.

The sound of tearing paper provided a welcome distraction. Shinku and Jun turned to regard Hina Ichigo, who was no longer bothering to restrain herself. The Sixth Doll finished unwrapping her gift, and drew in a long, surprised breath. "Drums and cymbals?" she asked, staring at the full-fledged percussion set. Even as Jun watched, feeling a new twist of uncertainty in his gut, the surprise and confusion on her face began to shift into happy anticipation.

"Hee hee hee hee hee..." The muted cackling cut through the room like a scalpel through a slasher-flick victim. Hina Ichigo shivered reflexively but didn't look up from her newly-acquired bounty. Jun and Shinku, however, whipped their heads around to stare at Suisei Seki, who was grinning diabolically as she stared down at her unwrapped copy of _1001 Practical Jokes and Dirty Tricks_.

They stood frozen for a long, long moment... then turned back to face Suigin Tou. Or rather, where Suigin Tou had been. A few black pinions drifted mockingly through the air, but that was all.

--

It was more than a little disconcerting to watch Suigin Tou browsing the Internet, Megu thought to herself. Especially since the Rozen Maiden avoided the problem of the too-large keyboard by typing with a wing rather than her hands. "Are you finding anything interesting, Angel-san?" she asked.

Suigin Tou chuckled darkly. "More than I could ever use," she said. "If I'd had a research tool like this from the beginning, things would have been very different indeed. So many bright pieces of insight, of inspiration; times when humans don't even know how smart they're being. Take this one for example." She gestured to a banner at the top of her current page, advertising a link to another site.

"I can't read English that well," Megu confessed. "What does it say?"

The First Doll grinned, an expression that put to shame anything Suisei Seki could manage. " 'Because you can do more evil if you do it legally'."


	3. Chapter 3

Megu and Suigin Tou's Excellent Adventures

A Rozen Maiden fanfic by Aondehafka

Disclaimer: the characters and concepts of Rozen Maiden are owned by Peach Pit, not me. This story is based on the anime, not the manga.

* * *

Chapter 3: Chasing Redemption

* * *

From high in the air Suigin Tou stared down at the landscape below. She rotated through three hundred and sixty degrees, taking in the details. The majority of the view was lush, verdant forest, with trees and undergrowth more green and alive than anything in the waking world. A few birds flitted from tree to tree, though the animate life felt like an afterthought—the flora, not the fauna, was clearly what mattered here. To her right and her left, the woodland stretched as far as she could see.

Behind her the forest smoothly transitioned into a garden, the far end of which was similarly undetectable. The garden itself varied widely; even Suigin Tou's brief survey had been enough to notice flower banks, ponds of water lilies and cattails, smooth green lawns, and areas nearly indistinguishable from primeval forest. It was a truly impressive display, well suited for someone who would call herself a Gardener, though she doubted Suisei Seki had any flowers of living ice and fire.

In front of her the forest didn't end, as such, but it was interrupted. A perfect circle of trees stood as sentinels around a structure carved from purple granite. Suigin Tou stared appraisingly down at it. "Interesting," she muttered. The building itself appeared roughly twice the size of the Sakurada household, but unless things had changed drastically in the last few hundred years, it would be much larger inside.

A few moments of searching located the front door, standing open as if waiting for her. Suigin Tou gazed at it for a bit longer. "You may regret that, little sister," she eventually said. "But... I hope you won't." With no further ado, she swooped down and through the open doorway.

Once inside, she found herself in the central hallway she had visited before, its far reach extending away into infinity. The interior was formed of the same violet stone as the exterior, though it was smoother and the floor was polished to a dull sheen. The light was softer, though it was nearly as bright as outside thanks to the many sunburst-patterned frosted-glass windows overhead.

Columns lined the hallway on both sides, some circular, some rectangular. The First Doll stared at them as she glided slowly along, taking a deeper look at the layout than she had previously had time to do. The curved pillars were backed by wine-dark curtains, behind which open space continued for a little way before ending in a wall. The squared columns marked where subcorridors led away from the main hall. Suigin Tou wasn't particularly interested in exploring those, although she thought it probably would come to that.

"You're late, Suigin Tou." Sousei Seki was leaning against one of the pillars, several hundred yards from the entrance and a few feet away from the alcove where Suigin Tou had last entered her field. Beside her the Gardener's Shears provided an extra point of stability, with Sousei Seki's hand on top of them and their points digging into the smooth purple floor. Suigin Tou received the impression that they were doing much more of the work of holding Sousei Seki up than the column at her back.

"Sorry, sorry," the First Doll said as she landed, slipping without really meaning to into a familiar, falsely apologetic tone. She caught herself after the second word, paused, and then said seriously, "I expected the gateway to bring me directly here. When it dropped me in the wilderness between you and your twin's fields, I thought you might have changed your mind about my welcome."

Sousei Seki frowned. "I don't know why that happened," she replied. "I didn't say anything about this to Suisei Seki, and anyway if she'd been trying to stop you she would have been there to meet you. Probably with Jun and Shinku backing her up."

"That certainly wouldn't have been much fun," Suigin Tou said lightly, again using a comfortable mask to cover her true feelings. She might have begun coming to terms with certain things, but that didn't make her ready for such a confrontation. Today was going to be enough of a challenge. "Your big-little sister, at least, would never believe I was here for a good reason. She might even think I was playing some kind of hurtful trick."

"This isn't about Suisei Seki, or Shinku, or any of the others!" Sousei Seki growled, forcefully enough to wipe the smile from her sister's face. "And it isn't a game, or at least it shouldn't be! You sounded serious the last time you talked to me, Suigin Tou. Where has that gone?"

"It hasn't gone anywhere!" Suigin Tou snapped back. She took a deep breath and forced out, "Look, Gardener... this isn't easy for me, any more than it is for you. Please do not expect me to get everything perfect, my first time trying something so different."

Sousei Seki looked away, offering a grunt that might have indicated apology, acquiescence, or dismissal. "Fine, but remember this was your idea, Suigin Tou. I listened to everything you said, about how Father must have meant for us to fight enough to learn and grow stronger from it. I'll admit it makes sense, but you're the one speaking with so much certainty and faith. If you expect me to follow, then you do have to lead."

"Very well." Suigin Tou swallowed an impulse to rephrase her previous request as her first order. "Here is rule number one. For safety's sake, I will not use my sword. You can hardly abandon those clippers of yours, but keep them closed at all times."

"They can still invoke the essence of cutting," Sousei Seki said quietly. "Even when they're closed."

Suigin Tou clenched her fist, stopping her arm as it twitched reflexively toward the waistline of her gown. "But you will fight without using that power. Right, Gardener?"

"As you say," the Fourth Doll offered. "What else?"

"...Nothing comes to mind," Suigin Tou said with a shrug. She continued the motion into an unfurling of her wings, and rose into the air. "Anytime you're ready."

"Then here I come!" Sousei Seki yelled, springing directly toward her older sister, the point of the Gardener's Shears lancing ahead of her.

Suigin Tou's wings extended far more quickly, arcing forward and around as they twined over and past each other in a dizzying pattern. Sousei Seki grimaced and did her best to avoid being distracted, but as she broke through the tangled mass of feathers in front of her, she wasn't really surprised to find that she had lost track of Suigin Tou.

A high heel directly in the small of her back clued her in to the First Doll's location, not that there was much she could do about it. She was sent flying toward one of the rounded pillars, and only just managed to get the Shears positioned to take the force of the impact. Their point scored a deep gouge in the column's face, but the Gardener paid the damage no mind. She rebounded off the pillar in an even faster leap, bringing her weapon around and up again.

Suigin Tou flew backward just as quickly, covering a yawn with one hand. "You might want to try something a little more creative," she advised as gravity overcame Sousei Seki's lateral motion, sending the Gardener back to the ground. "Those frontal assaults aren't going to do much. Not when I've got an endless open space behind me."

Sousei Seki tensed but didn't attack again. Instead she just stood there, staring furiously up at her older sister with her teeth gritted and one hand clenched tight on the Shears. Suigin Tou's smile drained away. "Don't give me that look," she said. "This is supposed to be a challenge."

"SHUT UP!" With that Sousei Seki jumped again. This time she spared the power and concentration needed to turn her leap into true flight, arrowing toward Suigin Tou with all the speed and force she could muster.

Suigin Tou was a little hard-pressed to match that speed while flying blindly backward, but she did it nonetheless. As an added challenge for herself, and an extra bit of motivation for her sister, she began jinking from side to side without slowing her retreat. "You really need to think of something better than this," she said with a frown. "I can—"

Fortunately for Suigin Tou, the pillar that toppled soundlessly behind her still cast a shadow. It was just enough warning for the First Doll to brake wildly to a stop, twisting in midair and lashing out with both wings in different directions. Her left coiled like a spring, smashing into the pillar in place of her body and absorbing the impact. Her right struck like a snake, directly at Sousei Seki.

"HYAAHH!" The Gardener smashed through the hastily-formed attack, dispersing it into a cloud of feathers. However, she was slowed just enough for Suigin Tou to get out of the way. Sousei Seki nearly crashed into the pillar herself, which had now impacted with the far wall and ground to a halt. Once again she brought the point of the Shears forward, which carved a jagged trench along the pillar and carried her around and upward to stand on top of it. She scanned quickly for Suigin Tou's position, but couldn't find the other Maiden.

"Nicely done! Those harsh words and hateful glare fooled me completely. I thought for certain you were just going to keep rushing in headfirst."

Her sister's voice clued Sousei Seki in quickly enough. She bounced away from her perch, rising higher into the hallway and catching herself in the corner where a circular column moulded against one of the angular ones. From this new vantage point she could clearly see Suigin Tou, lurking at ground-level in the space beneath the fallen pillar.

Suigin Tou glanced up at her sister, then stepped out of her hidey-hole and deliberately looked away, studying the broken base of the pillar. "Crumbled? Not clean cut?" she murmured, more to herself than her sibling.

Sousei Seki didn't reply. Instead, she gritted her teeth in a moment of even more furious concentration, then relaxed into a grim smile. "I guess there's no way to catch you by surprise with that now," she said, as pillars to either side of them began to topple. Some fell from the right side of the hall to the left and some left to right, with no discernable pattern. Equally patternless were the heights of the breaking points and the resultant angles of the leaning pillars. When the grinding, crashing cacophony had ended, the once-orderly hallway had become a twisted, tangled maze of toppled stone for as far as either of them could see.

"An admirable tactic," Suigin Tou pronounced with a smirk. "But don't think I'm going to help you clean up afterward."

The Gardener snorted and dived in for another attack. Suigin Tou opted not to take to the air this time. Instead she lashed out with one wing, keeping the other in reserve. Sousei Seki twisted as the dark stream of feathers caught up with her, using the flat of the Shears to deflect herself away to the side. She vanished into the jumble of broken columns.

Suigin Tou applauded mockingly. "Good, good," she said to the air around her. "I didn't want to repeat myself again about the direct assaults." She rose into the air, ascending until her hair nearly brushed the ceiling. Simple physics, and perhaps a lack of creativity on Sousei Seki's part, meant that the fallen, angled pillars didn't reach this high.

The better visibility from her new vantage point showed her what she was looking for: a floor-level open area of reasonable volume. She folded her wings and dropped like a stone, shedding feathers behind her in flurries of midnight. Her wings opened with a thunderous crack barely in time to halt her descent, but just as quickly as she had landed she was moving again, spinning in a circle while her wings flared wider. Feathers tumbled away in all directions, a black blizzard that quickly scattered pinions for hundreds of feet.

The Rozen Maidens' physiology mimicked that of a human, but only up to a point. Suigin Tou was rendered just a little dizzy by this tactic—unfortunately for Sousei Seki, not enough to distract the First Doll from the silent shifting of feathers that weren't moving under their own power.

"I - found - you," Suigin Tou called, concentrating her will into those particular feathers, yanking them back into controlled motion. She smirked all the wider at the shouted expletive, louder and more satisfying than the repeated dull thuds of impact. Suigin Tou made sure not to cause any real damage, but her missiles struck with enough force to knock Sousei Seki loose from her perch against a gently-sloped pillar. The Fourth Doll came tumbling down to bellyflop onto the floor a few feet away.

"Quit _playing_ with me!" Sousei Seki yelled as she got back to her feet.

"Make me!" Suigin Tou riposted, fighting off a whimsical urge to stick out her tongue. Really, her little sister was doing much better than she'd expected. She was almost eager to see what Sousei Seki would come up with next.

Suigin Tou received her answer quickly enough. Although she was no longer concentrating on the feathers she'd spread far and wide, she hadn't broken their connection to her. The faint traces of the First Doll's power residing in the feathers clinging to her gave Sousei Seki the opening she needed. Summoning as much power into the Shears as she could manage, Sousei Seki swung them in a wide arc, generating an energy shield that lasted only for an instant before overcoming the opposing force and bursting outward.

Suigin Tou shielded herself with her wings, enduring the wash of power with no real difficulty. However, every loose feather in the hall vanished in a puff of blue flame. Sousei Seki smiled grimly, and darted aside to disappear again before Suigin Tou could uncover her eyes.

As the First Doll had been peering through her feathers the whole time, this was less effective than the Gardener might have hoped. Suigin Tou quickly lost track of her sister's exact position, but for what she was going to do next that wasn't important. All she needed to know was that Sousei Seki was to her right, between Suigin Tou and the entrance to the hall.

She quickly turned to face that doorway, not that it could be seen through all the fallen pillars. She took a deep breath and then, for the first time ever, consciously drew on Megu's life force. The First Doll nearly gasped aloud as the flood of energy poured into her. Her wings reared higher and higher, first brushing aside the pillars above her, then twisting and driving backward to smash the barriers there into so much rubble. In a few chaotic, tumultuous seconds, Suigin Tou had cleared a hundred feet of hallway of all obstacles and cover.

She wasted no time zipping backward into the middle of this space, rising three-quarters of the way to the ceiling and ending the drain on her medium. "Your move, little sister," she called to the closer remaining jumble of stone, where she knew Sousei Seki was lurking.

The echoes of Suigin Tou's challenge rang and died away, with no response. Suigin Tou stared down at the maze, then spoke again. "I wonder if I went too far," she mused, loud enough to make it obvious that Sousei Seki was meant to hear. "I suppose that was a scary thing to watch. Especially if someone thought it was just luck that I cleared the area where she wasn't hiding."

"I didn't think that," the Gardener's voice rasped as she stepped into view. She glared up at Suigin Tou, and although the expression was less fierce than many she had worn today, something in it still gave the First Doll greater pause. Sousei Seki continued, "I knew better. You already made it crystal clear that if you wanted to break me, you could. And you're having too much fun showing off to risk accidentally ending it all."

Suigin Tou stared down at her younger sister, trying to think of what to say. It was true she had been enjoying this encounter, but that enjoyment had come from seeing how well Sousei Seki had been accounting for herself. Not from the chance to once again prove her fighting superiority over this sibling. _'I suppose if I had any doubts about that I might have enjoyed getting such proof,'_ she mused. _'But that's just not how things are. Still, perhaps telling her that isn't the best idea...'_

The First Doll was still pondering her options when Sousei Seki moved again. The Gardener disdained any battle cries or grand gestures this time; she simply leapt straight for her sister, the Shears cocked menacingly back over one shoulder.

Still unsettled by Sousei Seki's previous comments, this time Suigin Tou didn't bother with a new trick. She just sent one wing lashing down at her sister, with force enough to knock the Maiden aside even if she blocked.

Too late, she watched Sousei Seki's lips curve into a grim smile. The next instant the Gardener's whole body contorted... the Shears blurred as they spun through the air... and then Suigin Tou's wing slid neatly through the left handle of the weapon, like a needle being threaded on the first try. The wing's remaining velocity carried Sousei Seki back to the floor, but she landed as softly and gently as a leaf.

Suigin Tou gaped, well and truly stunned by this development. She could still vaguely feel the wing, but with it trapped inside the circle of the Shears' handle, she couldn't feed any power to it or control it at all... not even enough to shrink it back to its usual resting state. With a growl she shook off her amazement and lashed out with her other wing, sending it in at an angle that would prevent the Gardener from repeating her little trick.

As she had expected, Sousei Seki twisted desperately, trying to come around enough to duplicate her feat. But there just wasn't enough slack in the First Doll's trapped wing; it was clear that Suigin Tou's counterstrike would slide past the empty right handle with at least an inch to spare—

Sousei Seki's hands blurred as she slid them down the Shears, gripping the weapon by its very tip and wrenching it open, extending the right handle just far enough. Suigin Tou's remaining wing slid neatly through the loop, and then both the First Doll's extra limbs hung leaden and unresponsive. As quickly as she had opened them, the Gardener slammed the blades shut. The motion pulled both wings parallel, and although the one on the right had been longer an instant before, it was suddenly the same length as its twin.

"Good, good!" Suigin Tou called out, rather nonchalantly for someone who had just suffered a serious reversal. "It's nice to see you know when and how to break the rules. But I wonder..."

"Wonder what?" Sousei Seki retorted. "How long I can keep you bound like this?" She braced her feet against a jagged crack in the floor. This gave her the leverage she needed to swing Suigin Tou around, somewhat like a yo-yo at the end of a string. Specifically, a very heavy yo-yo at the end of a very stiff string; the First Doll swung ponderously in a circle not much wider than she was tall, and her motion was as slow as if through molasses. If Sousei Seki was disappointed at this meager result, she didn't show it. "This is my world, and my weapon that Father created especially for me. I could hold you forever." As if to illustrate the point she leaned back and pushed the ends of Suigin Tou's wings against the wall, where they stuck as though held by superglue.

Suigin Tou let out a derisive sniff. "And that would really be helpful to your growth and training, wouldn't it." The First Doll shook her head, then said, "It was a nice trick, little sister, but please don't get cocky—that's _all_ it is. You can't do anything further from that position."

The grim smile flashed across Sousei Seki's face once more. "Actually, I was just waiting for you to say that."

The First Doll had only an instant to look puzzled. The next, Sousei Seki gave a tremendous scream of fury and concentration... and gravity flipped upside down.

Caught off-guard with her wings not functional, Suigin Tou failed to catch herself in time. She smacked into what had once been the ceiling, landing mere inches away from one of the frosted-glass skylights. Even as the broken pillars crashed into a new configuration and the shockwaves of their impact further buffeted the First Doll, her gaze fixed on that window... what was it that bothered her about how it looked now, how it hadn't looked during her first visit here...

The vibration in her wings shocked her back to her senses. She pulled herself to her feet, her head clearing with an alacrity hard-earned through truly dire battles with Shinku. If this had been such a high-stakes battle, now would probably have been the time when Suigin Tou staged a strategic retreat.

But it wasn't that kind of fight. And her opponent wasn't Father's precious overpowered favorite.

Suigin Tou took in the situation in an instant. Anchoring her wings had apparently been a critical part of Sousei Seki's plan, because the Fourth Doll was now blazing down the makeshift zipline formed by those wings, her hands clenched tight on the Shears as their passage stripped countless loose feathers away, her legs aimed to deliver a powerful kick straight to Suigin Tou's head.

The First Doll spared one more instant to appreciate the artistry of her little sister's attack. Really, she was feeling a stir of genuine pride, at both Sousei Seki's progress and her own aid in provoking it.

Then, almost gently, she held out one hand. "Mei Mei," she lilted as she uncurled her fingers.

"OH, SH—" The rest of Sousei Seki's reply was lost in a **whuff**, as Suigin Tou's nachtgeist plowed into her midsection. Her hands spasmed open and released the Shears, at which point whatever force had been restraining Suigin Tou's wings vanished without a trace.

The gravity inversion failed just as quickly. Suigin Tou caught herself in midair, then winced as she watched the Gardener hit the floor and bounce. She hadn't intended for Mei Mei to strike quite that hard, but the artificial spirits did have minds of their own. She would have caught her little sister, except that she needed both wings to brush aside pieces of falling stone that would have been much more punishing to Sousei Seki.

This time the Gardener was slow to pull herself back to her feet, and once she did she made no move to retrieve the Shears, which had landed behind Suigin Tou. Realizing this, the First Doll flew well to the side and gestured invitingly at the weapon.

"Don't bother," Sousei Seki said heavily. "We're done here."

Suigin Tou blinked. "Excuse me? I must have misheard you, little sister. Right after you manage the best attack of your life is no time to sit down and give up."

"Maybe not. But when I've taken as much power as Master can spare, it definitely is that time," Sousei Seki shot back.

"Nonsense," Suigin Tou said airily, waving one hand to dismiss this absurd statement.

"No, it's _not_!" Sousei Seki yelled. "He's an old man! Not all of us have turned our mediums into demigods, you know!"

"Demigods?" Suigin Tou repeated, blinking.

"What, can you think of a better word? When Megu's birthday comes, you might as well give her a shirt with 'Megami' on the front!"

"You know, that actually sounds like a good idea," Suigin Tou mused.

Sousei Seki heaved a sigh. "Whatever. Just go away. Today's contest is over."

Suigin Tou frowned. "I already said this wasn't a contest. Both of us are trying to learn, to grow stronger. So what if you don't want to draw more power from your medium? That means you're now where you should have been all along—ready to fight on your own. To find strength within yourself, and learn to use it."

She paused, searching the Gardener's face for any sign that she was getting through to her. Finding nothing, she flew closer to her sibling and landed. She made a sweeping gesture with one arm, indicating the stretch of hallway where she'd swept aside the pillars. "Do you think I needed Megu's power to fight like this? Not even close. I haven't drawn on her energy at all so far." A lie, of course, but Suigin Tou consoled herself with the thought that it wasn't much of one. After all, she hadn't _needed_ Megu's strength to clear the hallway; she could have done it herself by invoking her flames. It just wouldn't have been as safe.

Apparently, hearing this didn't make Sousei Seki feel any better. "Well, good for you," she said. "I can't do that. And even if I could learn, you're completely wrong. The time to try would be when Master has plenty of energy to spare, in case I pull it from him without meaning to."

"So you're just going to quit now?" the First Doll sneered. "How disappointing. I thought better of you, little sister, especially after how well you did earlier. But as soon as your human gets a little tired, you drop everything? You won't even try to stand on your own feet? I at least thought you'd make me chase you through the maze of side-corridors." She paused, searched hopefully for a response, again found nothing. "Well, be warned... I'm making it my goal to break that leash you tied on your neck and handed to your human."

She turned to go, but was stopped by a quiet, bitter laugh. "That you out of all of us should say that..." the Fourth Doll muttered.

Suigin Tou turned back to face her sister, frowning. "What was that?"

There was a long moment of silence, before Sousei Seki shook her head. "Never mind. It wasn't right, and I shouldn't have said it."

The First Doll stared uncertainly for a moment. Then, with a faint shrug, she turned and took to the air, rising high enough to fly over the tangle of pillars between her and the front door.

Sousei Seki stood where she was for a bit longer, then trudged over to the Shears. She picked them up, brushed them off, and dismissed them. With a weary sigh she continued along her path, stopped when she reached the wall, and sat down against it. For several long moments she stared across the ruin that Suigin Tou's visit had left behind. Then with a shake of her head she closed her eyes and began reviewing the battle, attempting to spot areas where she could have improved on what she'd tried to do, and searching for inspiration on possible new tactics.

The better part of an hour ticked past. At one point a shadow flitted silently overhead, but Sousei Seki remained oblivious.

The sound of high-heeled shoes touching down a few feet away finally roused her. Her head whipped up and her eyes flashed open, widening and then narrowing at the sight before her. "Suigin Tou. Weren't you supposed to have left already?"

"I made it all the way to the entrance before I realized what was nagging at me." Suigin Tou spoke quietly, her tone more subdued than anything she had used earlier. "The only other time I came here was at night, it was hundreds of years ago, and I wasn't paying attention to the scenery. But I've remembered something important anyway." She paused, then said, "The windows overhead... they were clear glass then. Not frosted."

Sousei Seki blinked, wondering if this was really happening. Perhaps her meditations had somehow crossed the line into dreaming sleep. "What? What's that supposed to mean? And why would it matter, anyway?"

"I..." Suigin Tou paused. "I'm not sure it does matter. But once I remembered, I looked closely at those windows. They look frosted because they're shot through with a million tiny cracks.

"What is more, the effects of our battle, the broken pillars and rubble, don't reach all the way to the front door. But when I studied the walls and floor at the exit I saw nearly-invisible fractures and other weak points. And then I flew back, over all the broken pillars, and explored in the other direction. No matter how far I went, those same cracks were there."

The Gardener stared at her older sister, plainly no more enlightened by this answer. "So what?" she asked, finally getting to her feet. She gestured at the ruin their earlier battle had made of the hallway. "Have you forgotten how you crushed tons of stone at once? Or how I broke dozens of columns away and made them fall against the walls? Why _wouldn't_ there be cracks after all that?"

"I don't think they came from our fight at all. Just like the ones in the glass were there before." Suigin Tou took a deep breath and looked away from the Fourth Doll, turning to face the nearest jumble of broken pillars. "Look at all this. Does... does it remind you of anything?"

"Suigin Tou, I have no idea what you're trying to say here," the Gardener said wearily. "No. It doesn't."

"Well, I can't say the same!" the First Doll barked, her hands clenching into fists. "You remember what my field used to be like, don't you? The ruined city, the shattered dolls, the broken, useless buildings? The first time Shinku and Suisei Seki visited with their 'Master', they had a pleasant discussion about what poor taste it showed, how sad it was, and how those things were true because it reflected my own heart. And... and although I hate it, that was right." She gritted her teeth and said, "_She_ was right."

Sousei Seki blinked. "Shinku said that to you, and not only have you forgiven her, you're even agreeing? You really have changed."

Suigin Tou had been frowning... but on hearing her sister's final words, she relaxed noticeably. "She didn't say it to me. They didn't know I was listening in, waiting until they moved farther away from the exit before I confronted them.

"What Shinku said then was what she truly believed... what she truly understood. Not just something to make me angry." The First Doll snorted. "It still angers me that _she_ was the one doing it. Next time you see your twin, tell her she needs to speak up for herself more."

Suigin Tou paused for a moment. She still wasn't looking directly at Sousei Seki; had she only imagined that wince? Deciding not to worry about it now, she continued. "My field was a gloomy, pained, and dismal place... but I can't blame anyone other than myself. In a way, I'm thankful Laplace and Bara Suishou made it their playground. Because they damaged it as much as they did, I had the excuse I needed to start making changes. I didn't have to face painful truths before I was ready." Suigin Tou paused, letting her thoughts roam back to the current shape of her world. "And now the mountain stands tall and proud, and the glacier is crushing the city to dust. It might be a harsh, cold form of renewal, but I see nothing wrong with that."

"But you do have a problem with _my_ field," Sousei Seki replied. "Even though all this was caused by something that was your idea in the first place."

"As I already said, I don't believe that," Suigin Tou said flatly. "From what I've seen today, I think this place was crumbling even before I got here. If I'm wrong, by all means convince me. I would rather not think my little sister was walking down the path that... that I'm trying so hard to pull away from."

"Well, you're right about one thing," Sousei Seki answered, her voice quiet and subdued. Nonetheless, Suigin Tou could hear an undertone of bitterness. "You and I aren't walking on the same path. And if it makes you feel any better, you certainly aren't alone anymore."

"Hearing that doesn't make me feel better," Suigin Tou replied. Not when the bitterness in the Gardener's tone had shifted from 'subtle' to 'obvious' with her last sentence. "Perhaps you should tell me what you mean."

"It's simple," Sousei Seki replied. "It's the same now as it was before. The Rozen Maidens were created to be Alice, but almost nobody cares about that anymore. Everyone's just doing whatever they want, wandering further and further away from Father's ideal."

"I resent the implication that Shinku is 'everyone'."

Sousei Seki ignored the quip. "In fact, it's even worse now than it was then," she continued. "At that time, I saw how sad Father was. And although it hurt, I still turned my back on Shinku and everybody she had gathered to follow her... even Suisei Seki. Make no mistake, Suigin Tou—if I hadn't done that, if I kept on supporting her, everything would have been different. With all of us behind her, Shinku would have been free to repeat her favorite trick, and she would have just broken you and Bara Suishou without taking your Rosae Mystica."

"You do remember that the Crystal Whore wasn't one of us, don't you?" Suigin Tou said, her words practically dripping with acid. "She didn't have a Rosa Mystica to take or leave behind."

Sousei Seki waved her hand dismissively. "That's not the point! Yes, she was lying, but you and I weren't! We were doing what Father said he wanted, we were risking everything to become Alice. We were the only ones who did it willingly, but because of us, the others had no choice but to face their destiny too."

"So you think what we did was right?" Suigin Tou demanded, her tone still harsh but now more sad than vicious. "We were nothing but puppets dancing to strings pulled by Father's enemies. I don't understand how you can think that time was any kind of triumph."

"Is it that hard to see? I showed how much I was willing to give up, so I could give Father what he wanted. I still am willing." The Fourth Doll looked away, clenching one fist. "But now... even though Father has told us there are other ways to become Alice... everyone else is going their own way again.

"Yes, I even mean you, Suigin Tou," the Gardener snapped, ignoring the First Doll's warning glare. "Until today, I was still hopeful. I believed what you said, about how fighting together and growing stronger from it would help us reach Father's goal. But that was only half true, wasn't it? You gave me a challenge today—but I didn't see one moment where you were learning too." She paused just long enough to take a quick breath, then continued before Suigin Tou could interrupt. "Shinku told me to my face that she felt her choice was acceptable, because even if she didn't become Alice that didn't mean others couldn't. You might not have admitted it to yourself, but your actions today said the exact same thing."

"Oh, get off your high horse!" Suigin Tou spat. "You certainly have quite an opinion of yourself, for someone whose only win was cutting down a powerless, confused, lost child. I have news for you, Sousei Seki—you aren't remotely capable of pushing me hard enough to challenge me like that, not even here in your own field. And I don't think that's ever going to change.

"I came here for a different kind of challenge." Suigin Tou's eyes narrowed dangerously. "To reach out to somebody weaker and less fortunate than me, to give her a hand. But instead of gratitude, I get such hateful accusations? My good, hopeful intentions thrown in my face, as if I were just—" She cut herself off, her eyes widening and her jaw closing with an audible click.

Sousei Seki blinked in surprise, as she watched her sister's expression finish the shift from seething to horrified and saddened. "Suigin Tou?" she ventured.

"Karma is a bitch, all right," Suigin Tou muttered. "An even worse one that Bara Suishou, it seems." She heaved a weary sigh, rubbed tears out of her eyes, then said, "Just listen to me, all right? I know I said we must have been supposed to fight, but that doesn't mean I still think fighting is enough. That would only get one of us to Alice by breaking everyone else... and that's not what Father wants."

"I know that."

"Well, either you're not thinking about what else might be needed, or you don't believe anyone else might be thinking of that. But I am, little sister. Until I accepted Megu as my medium, I never cared for anyone weaker than me, never spared a moment's thought for anyone else's troubles. And that is certainly not what Father meant for us. You and Suisei Seki are the proof of that, with your powers to heal and nurture human souls. You had it built into you from the beginning, to give aid and comfort to others. And I..." She closed her eyes and said in a near-whisper, "I'm stumbling along almost blindly as I try to learn how.

"It's funny, you know?" she mused, meeting her sister's gaze once more. "Enju pretended to be Father when he put me back together, and told me that I was to take Megu as my medium. He went so far as to do it like Father would—sealing the knowledge of 'his' will directly into me, so I acted on it even before I was able to remember him talking to me." Suigin Tou glared darkly off into the distance for a moment, then pushed the anger away. "I know why he did it, of course. She was so frail that having her life to draw on actually made me weaker than I had been. He wanted his doll to defeat every real Rozen Maiden, but he didn't mind stacking the deck for her.

"But even though he meant to cripple me, by giving me a broken medium, he actually did what has to be the best deed of his life." She summoned up a crooked grin. "In fact, if he takes much longer to reappear, I might not even have the heart to kill him once he does. I suppose learning kindness and empathy cuts both ways, huh?"

"Yes," Sousei Seki replied. "Because of that, you honestly believe you're getting closer to Father, don't you? But that's not true, Suigin Tou."

The First Doll heaved a sigh and rose into the air. "I'm tired of listening to you belittle my efforts, Gardener. I'm leaving now. Why don't you think about our battle, and how I _encouraged_ your small steps of progress."

She turned to go, but was stopped by Sousei Seki's cry. "You don't understand anything!" the Fourth Doll said desperately. "You want acknowledgement? I'll give you as much as you like! You _have_ changed, you _have_ learned something about kindness, and if you keep on trying I'm sure it will come easier and easier!" She paused for breath, then continued in a more controlled tone, "But that won't give you what you say you want."

"Why not?!" Suigin Tou demanded, spinning round again but remaining airborne. Her voice rising higher with each question, she asked, "Why shouldn't I smile, when I see Megu learning how to live? Why shouldn't I be proud, that I don't have to dream of dolls broken worse than I am to feel okay? Why shouldn't I strive, to find in myself even a little of that warmth and light we all saw in Father?!"

"When did he ever ask for that?" Sousei Seki replied, as softly as a pebble disappearing into a bottomless pool. "He didn't tell us to become like him."

Suigin Tou's mouth dropped open, and she settled back to earth without even realizing it. The Gardener gave her no time to recover her composure; instead, she began circling the First Doll with a slow, deliberate tread. "I'm not blaming you for not seeing it for yourself," Sousei Seki continued. "There's no reason to be ashamed. It's impossible to get a clear view of something big if you're right in the middle of it."

"And you think you've seen something I haven't?"

"Many things." Sousei Seki pulled out of her circle, walking over to the nearest wall and summoning the Shears. "I first met Shinku in the same era you did." Several flicks of her wrist scratched a crude representation of the Fifth Doll into the stone. "She presented herself as eager to fight, but each time it was me challenging her. Even when we fought here, in my field, she didn't use her true strength. I don't know whether she didn't want to strain her ten-year-old medium, or just didn't bother because she knew she didn't need to." A second image joined the first: a depiction of Sousei Seki, positioned twice its own body length below Shinku's. "Either way, she definitely wasn't trying with all she had to break me."

Suigin Tou frowned. "So what?"

"Doesn't it sound familiar?" A few quick steps put Sousei Seki next to the stump of a rounded pillar. She circled around it for a few moments, the Shears blurring and clanging as she swung them again and again. One last pass and then she was finished, standing between Suigin Tou and the column. "Do you remember Spain in 1976?" She moved to the side and made a sweeping gesture with her free hand. On the stone, Suigin Tou chased a sobbing Kanaria round and round, up and down... always the same length away.

"That harmless little butterfly didn't deserve to be taken seriously," Suigin Tou protested as her sister walked to the center of the hallway. "Are you saying I should have crushed her?!"

"I'm only recounting facts now, Suigin Tou. I'll leave the interpretations up to you." Sousei Seki met her sister's gaze for a long moment, then moved again. This time she ignored the walls and pillars, choosing the floor itself as her canvas. The Fourth Doll darted about in seemingly-random patterns, scoring countless angles and curves into the granite with the point of the Shears.

Suigin Tou kept silent as she watched her sister work, almost mesmerized by the sight. There was still plenty of dust and broken stone obscuring the floor, a fact which didn't seem to hinder Sousei Seki at all but which made it impossible for the First Doll to make out the big picture emerging. The best she could do was identify a few images, all from the first six dolls of Rozen Maiden.

Finally Sousei Seki came to a stop. "That's enough, I think. Master has had some time to rest, but I still don't want to take much energy from him."

"So I suppose it's my job to blow away the bits and pieces you didn't bother to move," Suigin Tou observed.

"By all means, go ahead," Sousei Seki invited. "As long as you're prepared for what you'll see."

With an indignant grimace Suigin Tou spread her wings wide, then flapped them once. The move swept every last pebble, every speck of dust away from Sousei Seki's drawing. Suigin Tou stared down at what had been revealed, though at first she was distracted by the sheer number of revealed engravings. On her home turf or not, it was amazing that Sousei Seki had done so many without disturbing the overlying rubble.

However, it didn't take long for her attention to shift to the panorama in front of her. Well over a hundred pictures were inscribed upon the stone, the vast majority of them images of the Rozen Maidens. A few humans showed up, although these were rendered in an even more caricaturish fashion than were the dolls. Finally, there were a number of engravings that looked to be various types of scenery. Suigin Tou stared, sensing a deeper meaning here than was immediately visible.

Slowly, as she pondered the drawing, it began to dawn on her. The first key could be found by plotting an imaginary arc that joined a picture of herself to a picture of Kanaria, passing through a scribble of charging bulls—the 1976 encounter in Pamplona. She stared at this for a little while longer, satisfying herself that it wasn't just her mind dreaming one piece of order out of an orderless whole. There—a curve of equal degree connected another image of her, an image of Shinku, and a stream full of stooped-over figures. It was California in 1849, when she had spent a week digging gold out of a cliff, then used it to purchase hired guns to make things interesting for the Fifth Doll, who was bonded to the daughter of an outfitter.

She'd learned an important lesson then... when dealing with desperadoes, never pay in full up front.

Putting that debacle out of her mind and resuming her study of the images, she noticed another arc. This one used the same image of Shinku as the last, but connected to a different drawing of Suigin Tou. The context for this grouping was a scrawl of broken, blasted trees. Siberia, 1908, and another important lesson... antimatter was _not_ a potentially useful weapon in her struggles with her sister.

Suigin Tou gritted her teeth and deliberately studied the figures of the other Rozen Maidens. Now that she knew what she was looking for, it was easy enough to pick out other groupings. The ones that involved only two Rozen Maidens were actually the rarest; most combinations included three dolls at least. In fact, as she studied the tableau, it appeared that Hina Ichigo had been in Spain with her those thirty-odd years ago, and the Gardeners had been awake for the Tunguska explosion. Presumably their paths just hadn't happened to cross.

"This is a record of all the times any of us have been awake?" Suigin Tou asked. When Sousei Seki nodded, she asked, "Where did you learn this anyway? You weren't there for even half of these."

"Awhile back I asked Lenpika to get this information from the other artificial spirits. And you haven't seen what I meant for you to, Suigin Tou. Please keep on looking."

" 'You haven't seen what I meant for you to'," Suigin Tou muttered under her breath. " 'I'm only recounting facts now; I'll leave the interpretations up to you'." Still, she turned back to study the engravings. After a few seconds of contemplation, she realized she was making things harder than they needed to be. She took to the air, rising to a height which allowed her to absorb the whole of the scene.

This vantage point opened her eyes to a new level of meaning, one she couldn't immediately process. Being able to view multiple event-representations at once made it obvious that there were deeper patterns at work here, but for the moment they remained frustratingly out of reach. She rose higher and higher, unconsciously trying to get the distance that Sousei Seki had said was needed for true understanding.

Slowly, as if halfway in a dream, the sense of it began to gel in her mind. The interlocking arcs that represented encounters between the Rozen Maidens over the centuries... they were almost like petals of a flower, gradually opening... At the same time they were nothing like that at all, but rather the planes of a turning kaleidoscope, as it offered up image after fractured, colorful image... Look again and the connected images were the spokes of a wheel, rambling along to some as-yet-unseeable destination...

As Suigin Tou viewed the record in this light, a certain coldness began to gnaw at her. When it became large enough to be noticed she pushed it away, irritated at the distraction. She sensed she was on the verge of grasping some deeper, hidden pattern, and nameless forebodings had no business intruding and derailing her train of thought.

The first evidence that she had been dead wrong about that came a few moments later. The First Doll let out a wail of negation, starting almost too low to hear but quickly rising to a pitch that threatened to bring down previously-unbroken pillars. With a wrench she twisted into motion, dropping to earth like a falling star, slamming feet-first into the engraving and shattering the entire thing. "It's _not_ true!" she screamed, turning wildly toward Sousei Seki. "It's NOT!"

By contrast, the Fourth Doll was as calm as a corpse. "What about it was a lie?" she asked. "Which pieces of that picture did I make up?"

"It's not that, it's...! I mean...!" Unable to explain exactly to which detail from the smashed picture she was objecting, Suigin Tou went straight to the heart of the matter. "I have _not_ just been following Shinku all this time!"

"Of course you have," the Gardener replied, her tone as unruffled as before. "We all have. She makes a choice, and sooner or later there everyone else is, doing basically the same thing. Kira Kishou is the only one who hasn't fallen into that trap, and I don't even expect that to stay true if she ever decides to live outside the N-field."

Suigin Tou shook her head wildly, but could find no more words just now. It was one thing to accept the fact that Shinku hadn't deserved the kind of enmity Suigin Tou had first had for her, but this...! "I... I'll _tell_ you what piece of that picture was a lie!" she yelled suddenly. "There should have been a blank space in the middle, to stand for Father! _He_ is the one this revolved around for me! Shinku was just the greatest obstacle in my way! I... I wasn't..." Her vehemence deserted her as she spoke the next line in little more than a whisper. "I wasn't chasing _her_..."

"Of course you were. You and Shinku fought many times, but only once was it to the death—when Jun's life was on the line." Sousei Seki took a moment to study her older sister, then continued. "Do you remember our last real battle? Do you remember how you taunted me, asking what it was I wanted from the Alice Game? When I said I wanted what Father wants, you just smirked at me." She stared at the First Doll with a gaze utterly lacking in anger or accusation, and all the more implacable for that. "Ten minutes later you were placing my Rosa Mystica into your medium, thinking it would heal her."

"You will never make me believe I was wrong to want that," Suigin Tou said bitterly. "I am convinced that Father is glad, to see the changes I've helped Megu make in her life."

"You believe it because you want to believe it," Sousei Seki replied. "Just like you want to believe that your situation and Shinku's are so very different. That just because it isn't _romantic_ love you feel for your medium, nothing else is the same either."

Suigin Tou staggered backward, catching herself with one hand against the pillar-stump that showed her toying with Kanaria. "Father..." she whispered, staring off into the distance with tear-filled eyes. "Do you really... am I..."

"If you still need proof, I'll be glad to provide it." The Gardener waited for Suigin Tou to turn back to her, then said, "Think of Hina Ichigo. Shinku defeated her but left her Rosa Mystica alone. The only thing she wanted out of that battle was to save the life of Hina's medium, and that was the only reward she accepted. Just like you, when you took Lenpika from me." Sousei Seki's eyes narrowed. "And remember what I already said, about Jun and Megu. Think about which one of us was the first to have a wounded medium, and to put so much effort into reaching out and helping him heal and grow."

"But that... it doesn't mean I am..."

"Quit lying to yourself! Shinku went her own way from the beginning; she simply wasn't honest about it! And you are doing just the same thing, Suigin Tou. Earlier today I said it was ironic, that you out of all of us should rebuke me for caring too much about my Master. I was wrong to say it, because you aren't the worst of us about that. Shinku is. But you, Suisei Seki, Hina Ichigo, and Kanaria are locked in a four-way tie for second place.

"I already showed you how many ways your actions have lined up with Shinku's. You've seen where those choices took her in the end. How can you pretend things are different for you?"

The Gardener fell silent then, waiting for a response. As the minutes crawled by and Suigin Tou remained stationary, her head bowed and her shoulders hunched, Sousei Seki allowed herself to feel a stirring of hope. Perhaps she had managed to break through to her fellow Maiden.

At last, a visible shudder wracked the First Doll. "You're right, little sister," she whispered. "Those things you mentioned... those choices Shinku made... I have been making many of the same ones lately. And I didn't see it, didn't understand what it meant until now."

Sousei Seki managed a weary, cautious smile. "I'm glad. I honestly didn't think you'd—"

"You said I've seen where those things took her. I _have_ seen that." Suigin Tou's head snapped up, her eyes boring into her sister's. The force of her regard struck with nearly a physical impact. Sousei Seki stumbled backward, wanting but unable to look away from the emotion burning in her sister's gaze. She could see equal parts joy and sorrow, but no remorse, and not a hint of uncertainty. "That kindness, that determination... what did they earn her? _Father trusting her to bring you and Hina Ichigo back_."

The First Doll's words hung in the air, seeming to echo louder than the crash with which she had shattered the floor. Neither Maiden said anything for a long time; it was Suigin Tou who eventually sighed and spoke again. "I'm through with hating her or cursing her. Even if she was Father's favorite. Even though she couldn't live up to that favor. I might wish those things weren't true, but I won't close my eyes to them—because I can't afford to miss other true things.

"At least some of what you pointed out was right," the First Doll admitted. "Many things I'm learning now, are lessons Shinku already mastered. And Father was _happy_ about that. He must have been, to entrust her with so much. You say he didn't ask us to become like him? But what else would you call it, when he fixed the rest of us but told Shinku that _she_ was to revive you and Hina Ichigo?"

"I..." Sousei Seki bit her lip, then muttered, "I don't know..."

"Of course not, because there's nothing else to say. As late as that, she was obviously in first place out of all of us." To Suigin Tou's credit, she said this with nothing darker than wistfulness shading her tone. "Her mistake came afterward—when she pushed the task Father gave her onto Sakurada."

"...No," Sousei Seki whispered, shaking her head. "No, that can't be right. You weren't there, you didn't see... long before that, she and Jun were dancing around each other, slowly drawing nearer..."

"Enough of this." Suigin Tou spoke gently but firmly. "You were eager enough to point out areas where I wasn't letting myself see the truth; do not turn away when I repay the favor. You are wrong here, little sister. And... I even understand why." She hesitated, searched for words, then said, "Father restored four of us, held us gently and spoke to us about things we never knew before. I know... know it must hurt, to have been left out of that. And it must hurt even more that the reason Father did it was to show his trust in Shinku, a trust she failed to live up to. But you can't afford to let that make you lose your way."

"I... am... _not_..." the Gardener gritted through clenched teeth.

"Yes, you are," Suigin Tou rejoined. "Earlier you spoke of the visions you saw of Father, and his sadness that nobody had become Alice. It wasn't Father at all; it was Enju, lying to you to get you to fight. Just like he did to me."

"That's not true!"

"It is," Suigin Tou said relentlessly. "You were fooled. So was I. But I have faced that and let it go, Gardener. If you don't do the same, you'll go just as far astray as Shinku... or even worse. Sakurada is certainly no match for Father, but he at least shares some qualities with him. Better that than clinging to something which exists only in your mind."

The ominous silence which followed this put the last one to shame. As the First Doll stared into her sister's eyes, finding it harder and harder to meet the Gardener's burning gaze, her ears caught the faintest of tinkling cracks. She glanced upward and away, her eyes quickly locking onto a new source of motion.

Silently and gracefully, a single chip of glass plummeted from the window overhead, dropping to shatter into a thousand splinters as it hit the floor halfway between the Maidens. For a moment Suigin Tou felt unease twist in her gut, knowing it reminded her of something but not yet sure what.

Even as more chips began to fall, she realized what that was. Sousei Seki's eyes were as hard as steel, as tight as a drawn bowstring, and as dry as a desert. But in that moment Suigin Tou was certain of one thing—the Gardener's dreamworld was shedding tears that she could not.

It took less than a minute for the skylight directly overhead to empty itself. Suigin Tou held her breath, looking left and right... but the others held, at least for now. She exhaled, rose into the air, and turned back to face her sister. "I think this has gone much too far for one day," she said quietly. "We should have spread this discussion over three or four visits. I am sorry." She paused for a moment longer, but Sousei Seki didn't reply. Inclining her head, she turned again and flew up and out through the newborn exit.

* * *

Once again Suigin Tou stared down at the landscape far below. This time, however, it was the urban sprawl of Tokyo beneath her, and the First Doll wasn't paying any attention to what she was seeing.

"That didn't go so well. Did it, Mei Mei?" she murmured to the artificial spirit flying around her in slow circles. "I wanted to help her, and maybe I did. But I definitely caused her more pain than I meant to." She sighed. "I want to do something about that. But what?"

If Mei Mei had any suggestions, they went unnoticed. Suigin Tou hung motionless for a little while longer, then began flying toward home. "Perhaps Megu will have an idea. Or if not, maybe she could talk to Sousei Seki. As kind and gentle as she is, she ought to be able to soothe the Gardener's wounded pride."

Mei Mei zipped around in front of Suigin Tou, causing the Rozen Maiden to pull up short. The nachtgeist indicated her opinion of this plan by dimming her light nearly to nothing and spiraling downward like a bird with a broken wing.

"A simple 'Sousei Seki's probably not ready to listen to any demigods' would have been enough," Suigin Tou grumbled.

She remained motionless for a little while longer, lost again in thought. At last, she gave a nod, accompanied by a grimace. She forced her lips to uncurl from the latter as she turned in a new direction. After all, this new idea wasn't that much different than asking for Megu's help, was it?

* * *

"Hm-hm... hm-hm... skinny cats, chubby cats, furry and cuddly and windy cats..." Hina Ichigo warbled cheerfully, legs kicking back and forth as she drew a colorful picture. There weren't many similarities between her work and Sousei Seki's recent endeavor, but at least one existed—with only Suisei Seki around to 'supervise', the Sixth Doll was happily coloring directly onto the living room floor.

"Hey, hey, Suisei Seki. Look at my picture," Hina Ichigo requested.

A vague, noncommittal sound from the couch was the only response. Hina Ichigo frowned, drew a few more cats, then got up and turned to face the other Maiden. "Suisei Sekiii!"

"WHAT?!" the Third Doll barked, finally looking up from her book. "Can't you see I'm reading?"

Hina Ichigo blinked. The situation felt very familiar, except that the role being played by Suisei Seki was usually held by another. "Um... you're not turning into Shinku or something, are you?"

"What... was... that...?" the Gardener demanded, jumping up and looming over a suddenly-quailing Hina Ichigo.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I was just scared that next you weren't gonna let me draw pictures of cats either, same as her!" the Sixth Doll squealed.

"Jeez, I don't think even 'Chibi-chibi' goes far enough to describe you," Suisei Seki declared. "Maybe I'll call you 'Chibi-chibissimi' from now on. How could you ask such a dumb question anyway?"

"Well, you're reading one of Shinku's books, since she's not here to miss it. That's why."

Suisei Seki stared, then brought the book in question up and whapped her sister over the head with it. " 'One of Shinku's books'? Take a closer look, Chibi-Ichigo."

To Hina Ichigo, who'd never looked closely enough to realize that all of Shinku's books were in German, the title of this one—_1001 Practical Jokes and Dirty Tricks—_meant nothing. "I can't read English. What's it say?"

Suisei Seki opened her mouth. Then she closed it again, as if thinking better about giving anyone fair warning of the bubbling cauldron of 'entertainment' brewing in her head. "Never mind. This conversation is ridiculous enough to make my head hurt too. What did you want me to look at?" She moved around Hina Ichigo in order to see, then flinched back. "A bunch of cats falling out of the sky?" she said with a grimace. "Why would you draw something so horrible?"

"They're not falling!" Hina Ichigo said indignantly. "They're flying!"

"Well, that makes more sense. At least, sense for you drawing it," the Gardener said snidely.

She was about to go further into the matter of Shinku's apparent intolerance for drawings of cats, and point out that if this were true then drawing on the floor rather than a piece of paper might not have been the smartest of moves, but was distracted by a sudden clatter—one from an all-too-familiar part of the house. She whirled around to face the direction of the storage closet, and the gateway mirror it held.

"You always used to hide behind me when this happens." Hina Ichigo noted. "Are you really not turning into Shinku?"

Just as quickly Suisei Seki whirled back and thwapped her sister again. "We all have to grow up sometime, you know. Except for the exception that proves the rule," she sniped. Turning back around and taking a deep breath, she moved past the couch and headed for the hallway door.

It opened before she reached it, revealing another Rozen Maiden. "Suigin Tou..." the Gardener said. After this she paused, as if trying to decide how to deal with the intrusion. Suigin Tou appeared no more eager to rush into speech. After a few moments, Suisei Seki frowned and asked, "Don't you know how to knock?"

"I did knock, but since I was on the other side of the mirror, you didn't hear it," the First Doll replied.

Suisei Seki blinked at the mild response. "Um... okay..." Glancing around as if searching for inspiration on what to say next, her eye fell on Hina Ichigo, who had taken several long steps back and appeared to have locked her knees to keep them from trembling. "Oh come on, Chibi-Ichigo!" she exclaimed. "Don't tell me you're still scared of her!"

"Um..." was all the smallest doll managed.

Suisei Seki rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you need to keep up with the times." She strode over to Suigin Tou, slung one arm over the First Doll's shoulders, smirked at Hina Ichigo, and pronounced, "See? She's harmless now!"

It was anyone's guess whose eyes were wider, Suigin Tou's or Hina Ichigo's. "H-Harmless?" the Sixth Doll echoed.

" 'It's not that different from asking Megu for help.' Not one of my finer predictions," Suigin Tou muttered.

"Of course, harmless!" Suisei Seki declared. She pulled the other doll closer, then used her free hand to deliver a quick noogie. "After what Father said to us, there's no way she'd ever try to break anyone again."

"But, but... she could still beat you up really bad, as long as she didn't break you," Hina Ichigo pointed out.

"So what? Jun'll be home in three hours and twenty minutes. He can fix anything she decides to do. No big deal."

Later, Suigin Tou would wonder whether she'd heard the faintest hint of eagerness and hope as her sister outlined that little insurance policy. For now, she was too busy trying to scrape together her composure without bringing temper along for the ride. "Whatever this is, could you please get it out of your system?" she requested coldly. "I'm here because Sousei Seki needs your help."

Suisei Seki's arm dropped nervelessly from the First Doll's shoulders. "W-What? Sousei Seki...?"

"Yes. She's very sad, angry, and confused about all the things that have changed. She needs someone better at kindness than me to go to her field and cheer her up." Suigin Tou stared piercingly into her sister's mismatched eyes. "She needs her twin."

And with that, the First Doll turned and zipped back the way she had come, vanishing into the storage closet and exiting through the mirror before Suisei Seki could respond.

Had she stayed at least a little longer, she would have heard the Third Doll plaintively murmur, "But... she doesn't even listen to me anymore..."

* * *

Author's Notes

In _Traumend_ episode 6, Suigin Tou looks out over the streets of Tokyo and remarks, "Such a boring city." If her periods of wakefulness throughout the centuries have been the kind of events I've hinted at here, that makes sense. It also means the events of later chapters will be perfectly fitting, and bring to mind that hoary old nugget of wisdom: "Be careful what you ask for, because you might get it."

A couple of language notes: 'megami' is Japanese for 'goddess', and 'chibi-chibissimi' is a blend of Japanese and Italian that (to the best of my knowledge) would mean 'really, _really_ tiny'.

Not much else to say here, except that Hina Ichigo's drawings in the final scene of the chapter contain a reference to an extremely obscure anime. Email me with the correct guess as to what anime that is, and I'll reward you with a sneak peek at a few paragraphs from an upcoming chapter (offer expires once the final chapter has been posted).


	4. Chapter 4

Megu and Suigin Tou's Excellent Adventures

A Rozen Maiden fanfic by Aondehafka

Disclaimer: the characters and concepts of Rozen Maiden are owned by Peach Pit, not me. This story is based on the anime, not the manga.

* * *

Chapter 4: Megu in the Lions' Den

* * *

The doors of the train slid open and Megu stepped out. Her eyes were wide open and her guard was up, but she wasn't spending any strength yet to disguise herself. She had no idea what challenges awaited her this afternoon, and figured it was best to conserve her energy until she really needed it. After all, anything that disturbed Suigin Tou as much as this Nerima place did clearly deserved caution and respect.

It said a lot about how greatly Megu had changed that she'd never once considered avoiding the ward. Indeed, she'd grabbed the first chance she got to visit, taking advantage of her angel's training mission in Sousei Seki's dreamworld.

"It doesn't look like anything much," the girl mused, stopping in the middle of the terminal and looking around. The boarding area was a wide, open-air expanse of concrete with a few lamp-posts and benches. On the far side stood the station building, where newcomers would purchase their tickets and through which those leaving the train would depart. About the only difference between this stop and the one where she'd embarked was the relative absence of people waiting here... and now that she thought about it, she'd been one of only a handful of travelers leaving the crowded train. Apparently Nerima wasn't a popular destination.

She glanced back at the train just in time to see someone's head appear above the roof. The next instant the boy was airborne, passing over a startled Megu in one mighty leap. He touched down on a lamp-post and just as quickly bounced away again, onto the roof of the station and then out of sight. The black-haired girl stared feebly after him, eyes wide and jaw dangling.

"Pardon an old woman's intrusion," came an elderly voice from a few feet away. "But if you weren't prepared to see something like that, you might want to hop back on the train."

Megu hitched her gaping mouth shut and turned to face the speaker. It was a nondescript elderly woman in a lotus-pattern kimono, who would have stood about Megu's height in her youth but was now beginning to stoop with age. "I wasn't prepared," Megu said frankly. "Is... is that sort of thing common?"

The woman allowed herself a snort. "Depends on what you mean by 'common'. Generally there's at least one of them up there, if not when the train gets in then when it leaves. And girls just as often as boys." She sighed. "Ah well, growing old means I can recognize the foolishness of youth as well as its glory."

"Come on, Grandpa! Get your rear in gear!" yelled a black-haired girl several years younger than Megu, appearing out of thin air in the middle of the platform.

"What's that, Rei sweetie?" came a cackle from behind. "Who's slowing us down, now?" Both girls spun around. Rei bit off several choice words on seeing the geezer in priest's robes peering down at her from the roof of the train, and leaped up to join him. Megu stared at the old man, far more shriveled with age than the woman next to her, and blinked a few more times.

"Then again, there's no fool like an old fool," the nameless woman muttered.

"I can't believe the train company just lets that happen," Megu protested, visions of the Tokyo Dome dancing through her head. Then again, the management of the Big Egg probably had more money available than whoever was in charge of the Nerima train service, and there couldn't be that big a pool of available specialists (even ones that weren't quite good enough to handle Suigin Tou) for hire in the first place.

Her companion shrugged. "Like I said, it's only one or two on the average. Not enough to have a real impact on profits. I suppose there's even a bright side – it makes a fine warning message for a nice young girl with no idea what she stumbled into." The woman gave Megu a concerned look. "I don't know what brought you here, young lady, but if it's business that you can walk away from, or a meeting where you can get them to come to you, I strongly suggest you follow me onto the train. It doesn't stay at this stop for long."

Megu smiled gently. "Thank you for your concern," she said, then focused her will. The illusion of soft, white-feathered wings spread out from her shoulders, flapping gently as she levitated herself several inches into the air. "But I think this is where I need to be for now."

"I see. Well, good luck to you then," the woman said, giving a nod that was polite but noticeably more distant than her previous manner had been. With no further ado, she turned away and boarded the train.

Megu watched her go, her smile and her illusion fading as she settled back to the ground. She sighed, then shook off the pang of melancholy. That encounter might have ended on an awkward note, but as awkwardness went it wasn't on the same island as the discussion in which she'd revealed things to her parents. As she headed for the station and the city beyond, there was even a faint spring in her step.

* * *

Fifteen minutes of normalcy hadn't been enough to sow doubts in Megu's mind. But she was beginning to feel a little impatient.

The streets around her were less busy than she'd seen in other parts of Tokyo. Still, the level of traffic wasn't low enough to register as remarkable, and that was the closest she'd come to seeing anything odd since leaving the station. For the twenty-eighth time Megu slowed her pace and looked carefully around, and once again failed to find what she was searching for.

_'It almost reminds me of those stories Suigin Tou told me, about how she approached this time's conflict,'_ the girl mused. The First Doll hadn't flown right in at full strength. Instead, she led off with teasing, slowly-escalating tricks, to put the others off-balance and leave them worn out and frazzled when she was finally ready to make her move. _'Just like those people at the train station were there and gone before I could react.'_ Megu smiled. _'I guess that means if something else extraordinary comes and goes too quickly for me to catch up, I should be relieved instead of frustrated.'_

Her smile widened and grew more whimsical at the conceit. Her life might have taken a fantastical turn lately, but she wasn't ready to credit an entire Tokyo ward with taking such personal notice of her.

That sense of perspective kept her patient and cheerful as she spent another half-hour rambling aimlessly through Nerima. She did allow herself one or two mildly exasperated thoughts at Suigin Tou, however... the First Doll could have at least let her see what was on that ill-fated business card. The name 'Mon Lon' wasn't in either of the phone books she inspected, and any lead Suigin Tou might have provided was sealed behind the promise her angel had extracted from her, never to ask anything about this place.

Of course, she expected Suigin Tou would release her from that promise after today. There was no way Megu was going to finish her business in time to be the first one home. No, Suigin Tou would find the note explaining her medium's whereabouts and intentions, and whether she came roaring into town raising enough ruckus to draw Megu to her or simply waited for her to return, Megu was certain the Rozen Maiden wasn't going to let the matter pass without discussion.

None of that, of course, brought her any nearer _now_ to someone who could answer her questions or explain the lessons Mon Lon had said she needed to learn. Still, the day was pleasant, and the novelty of being able to walk briskly about in the open hadn't worn off yet. Because of this, it took nearly an hour for Megu to leave the main thoroughfares behind for small, twisty streets where she stood a better chance of being mugged.

This wasn't such an odd decision as it might have appeared. There was a reason she hadn't stopped any random passersby to inquire about a teal-haired Chinese minstrel – it hadn't been very pleasant, when that kindly old woman had seen past Megu's mask of normalcy and had erected her own barriers so swiftly and securely. However, Megu didn't think she would experience the same disappointment if she got such a reaction from a would-be robber or a gang of street punks. And if they didn't have any useful information, she could still come out ahead by relieving them of the yen they had doubtless stolen from less fortunate targets.

With that comforting thought in mind, Megu turned around and backtracked to a turn-off she'd passed a few minutes ago. The lane wasn't quite narrow enough to be called an alley, but it obviously didn't receive a fifth as much traffic as the road she'd been traveling. It was open to the sky, so in the unlikely chance that she was ambushed by something she couldn't handle, she could simply fly away. Megu walked along at the same brisk pace she'd been using, following the lane through five twists before slowing to a mosey, then an amble, then a complete stop.

One okonomiyaki vending cart in this out-of-the-way spot would have been odd enough. But two?

"Greetings, Honored Customer," chimed the vendors in perfect unison. Then, still synchronized, the girls broke off from their sales pitch, turned away from beaming at Megu, and began glaring at each other. This was easy enough to do, as their two carts were set up diametrically opposite one another. Each yattai was pushed back against the wall of a building, but even so there was barely enough space between them for six people to walk abreast.

Megu glanced from one vendor to the other, trying and failing to pick out the faintest noticeable difference between them. She wasn't certain, but she thought the girls looked to be around fifteen years old. Each had long, straight brown hair pulled back in a braid, tied with strands that strongly resembled yakisoba noodles. Their eyes were a lighter brown, only a few shades away from hazel. Both were clad in the same purple outfit, with the same black tights, and the same bandoliers of mini-spatulas slung across their chests.

After several moments of searching for something that just didn't exist, she gave up. The two were identical, down to the precise angle formed by their frowns. The air between them sizzled like a hot, freshly-oiled grill meeting the first okonomiyaki of the day. The more pragmatic half of Megu's mind regarded the scene, thought back to the stories she'd heard from Suigin Tou, and gave a mental nod. Advanced sibling rivalry, without a doubt. Her whimsical side, meanwhile, was holding out for the possibility of clones.

"I saw her first, Kaou," said one girl at last, breaking the silence.

"Don't you mean you blinked first?" the other shot back immediately, her glare replaced by a smirk. "And either way, she shouldn't have to settle for second best."

"That's my line!" the still-unnamed girl declared. "And for your information, _little sister_, being the one to break the stalemate means I'm the one who's _not_ keeping my customer waiting!"

"And what customer of yours would that be, Rirakku?" retorted Kaou, glaring once more.

"Ah... excuse me," Megu ventured.

As one the duo whirled on her. "YOU STAY OUT... of... this..." they answered, starting out strong but trailing weakly off as reflexes were overtaken by realization.

With some difficulty, Megu swallowed a giggle. "Actually, I think I'm hungry enough to eat an okonomiyaki from each of you." She had finally discovered one difference between the two girls: although both of their menus boasted rock-bottom prices, said prices fluctuated by fifty yen here and there. She smiled at Rirakku, who happened to be slightly closer than her sister, said, "I'd like one pork deluxe," then turned to Kaou, smiled again and continued, "and one seafood special."

"You got it!" the girls chimed, again in unison, and again pausing for a brief synchronized glaring session. Then they turned their attention to their grills, spreading and mixing the okonomiyaki ingredients with surprising dexterity and speed. Somehow, Megu wasn't surprised that they finished simultaneously, even though they'd been preparing different dishes.

While she _could_ have used the 'two-fisted' method to eat both okonomiyaki at the same time, there were limits to how far Megu was willing to go to tip-toe around such a silly conflict. She'd asked for pork as her first order, so that was the first one she accepted and ate. It disappeared so quickly that Rirakku only managed to get off two smug looks and a victory sign before the seafood special was vanishing as well.

After finishing the second okonomiyaki, Megu stood contemplatively silent for almost as long as it had taken to eat both of them. Considering the out-of-the-way location, the incredibly low prices, and how young the vendors were, she had braced herself for something about as appetizing as hospital food. But this...

"Well? How was it?" Rirakku asked eagerly.

"Did my masterpiece get all the taste of that first thing out of your mouth?" Kaou inquired.

"Are you ready for another? Maybe you'd like to find out what a _real_ seafood okonomiyaki is like?" Rirakku countered.

"Or maybe _you_ would like to find out what a real beat-down is like?!" Kaou demanded, no longer even pretending to focus on their customer.

With a smirk, Rirakku seized the opening. "At least you're finally admitting you've never managed to show me before."

"Why, you...!" From some hidden recess in her cart, Kaou whipped out a steel spatula nearly as big as she was. Rirakku did the same. The next instant the girls bolted out from behind their counters, charging to meet in the center of the lane with an earsplitting clang.

In its own way, Megu decided, it was the best fight she'd seen or even heard of. By now she had drawn several stories of the Alice Game out of Suigin Tou, mostly tales of the First Doll's battles with Shinku. However, supernatural beings flying around and attacking with charmed feathers and rose petals was one thing; two young, human girls moving so quickly and fighting with such force and skill was another entirely. Especially when they leaped toward each other, met in midair with a clang of striking spatulas, bounced so forcefully back from the impact that they hit the walls instead of the ground, and rebounded to meet _again_ in midair five feet higher than their last clash. Megu actually breathed a faint sigh of relief when disengaging from this returned them to the ground, rather than initiating another wall-bounce and higher-yet airborne assault.

When the girls began hurling mini-spatulas with enough force to scar the walls of the lane, she decided it was time to take several long steps back. _'With as far as this has already gone, yelling that they were both the best okonomiyaki I've ever had couldn't be enough to stop it.'_

She supposed she could always resort to other abilities to end the fight. However, she'd seen each girl use a barehanded strike to deflect a flying mini-spatula that would otherwise have struck home, and neither seemed any the worse for it. Megu settled for getting a safe distance away, stopping just before the bend in the lane which would have hidden the girls from her view.

No sooner had she done this than the twins abandoned long range attacks, charging in again with mega-spatulas swinging. The fast and furious exchange remained deadlocked for several long moments... and then, all at once, the impasse shattered. One girl—Megu had long since given up any hope of figuring out which was which—unleashed a massively powerful blow which sent her sister flying backward. The girl twisted in midair, but it apparently wasn't enough to keep her from slamming into the nearest okonomiyaki cart. The impact knocked the cart away from the wall, sending it skidding across the lane to stop at a right angle to the other yattai, with their nearest corners almost touching. Just as quickly the girl rolled back to her feet, the motion bringing her upright directly between the two carts. Megu wondered for a fleeting instant why her twin didn't charge in to press her attack, then realized it must be because the girl had lost her mega-spatula during her flight. It lay on the far side of the lane, well out of easy reach. _'I suppose that means the fight is over.'_

"Thanks, sis!" the unarmed girl called mockingly. "You set me up perfectly!"

Megu was watching from behind and couldn't see the speaker's face, but she had a clear view of the way the other's eyes widened. The girl scrabbled desperately at her bandolier for a mini-spatula, found she'd already thrown them all, and blurted an oath that nearly burned Megu's ears.

The seconds this took cost her dearly.

"SOY SAUCE TSUNAMI!" screamed the girl closer to Megu, the cry nearly drowning out the clatter of cupboards on each yattai throwing themselves open. In the next instant twin surges of dark-brown liquid emanated forth from the carts, joining in midair into a single towering wave... which just as quickly broke and crashed downward, catching _both_ girls and sweeping them along to smash into a wall.

Megu blinked. "Was that supposed to happen?" she asked.

It was just as well that neither of the twins heard her. They were already stressed enough without listening to questions like that.

"Ugggghhh," groaned the one who'd launched the attack, pushing herself onto hands and knees, then using one hand to rub her head.

"Good one, Kaou," the other said acidly. She was standing now, and appeared to be in better condition than her twin. "Go right ahead and try to pull off something neither one of us is ready for. Hey, maybe for an encore you can crash and burn with the Batter Dragon!"

"Oh, shut up," Kaou retorted, getting to her feet. "_You're_ the one who tried to fix that guy a Miso Ostrich Okonomiyaki yesterday. You've got no room to talk about someone reaching too far and falling flat on her face."

Judging by the way Rirakku grimaced and looked away, she wasn't willing to argue the point further.

Megu decided it was time to rejoin the conversation. "Ah... would you like me to watch your carts while you go get cleaned up?" she offered.

"Nah, that's okay," Kaou said. "We may not have the Soy Sauce Tsunami perfect yet, but we can at least do this." She closed her eyes and concentrated. Megu watched in wide-eyed interest as all the dark, salty liquid rolled off and away from the girl, leaving her looking somewhat battered but basically presentable.

"That was very impressive," Megu said. "Although I think it still takes second place to your cooking. Those were the best okonomiyaki I've had in my life."

Both girls stood a little straighter under the praise, smiling broadly. "We're Kuonjis," Rirakku said with obviously false modesty. "It's what we do."

"If you've never had anything better, you must not have run into any of our relatives yet. Our dad can kick both our butts at once, in either fighting or cooking. Even after today, you still can't _really_ say you've had an okonomiyaki until you've tried his." Kaou blinked, then hastened to add, "Not that I'm trying to say I don't want you as a loyal customer for my shop!"

"It's a bit late to be saying that now, don't you think?" Rirakku grumbled, pausing in her current labor of moving her cart back against its wall. "And _your_ shop? Keep dreaming, Sis."

"You're right; I haven't met any of your relatives before," Megu interjected hastily, not wanting another brawl to erupt before she could get some answers. "Do they all live here? Today is the first time I've been to this ward."

"Not all of them," Rirakku answered. "A few years back it was just Cousin Ukyo. But this place has a lot to offer, so much that most all of the clan has migrated here. Our family moved in last month."

"Then you're new here too," Megu said. Hopefully even if they didn't have her answers, they would still be able to point her toward someone who did. She wasn't sure how to segue into asking those questions, though, and decided to continue with small talk. "Why are you set up like this, anyway? This lane can't get enough traffic to make it a profitable location. I wouldn't think there was enough business for even one of you, let alone both."

Kaou shrugged. "That's what we're supposed to change. It's only been a week since Dad set us up here with these carts. It's our job to snag loyal customers, to get them to consistently go out of their way to eat here."

"And the other half of the challenge is to see which one of us can leave the other in her dust," Rirakku added. She offered Megu a winning smile, and added, "Ready for that seafood okonomiyaki now?"

"I still don't understand," Megu said, ignoring the bait. "Are you saying your father is deliberately forcing you to try and drive each other out of business?"

"What's so hard to understand?" Kaou asked.

"Hey, little sis, remember she said she's new in town?" Rirakku inquired dryly.

"She also didn't freak out from watching us fight," Kaou snapped back. "She can't be that clueless about the kind of stuff that goes on around here." Turning to Megu, she said, "Yeah, you could put it like that, but he was also the one who gave us our startup equipment and funds. This is really just another way for him to look out for us, because competition in the seriously profitable areas is a lot more brutal than this. When I win our challenge, Dad will give me a stake in the ground at one of those places – cause I'll have shown him I can handle it."

"So it's kind of like throwing you into the deep end of the pool to learn how to swim," Megu said, "except that this deep end is still shallow enough that you can just barely touch bottom with your nose out of water?"

"Please, don't remind me about waves," Rirakku said with a smirk. Her sister growled but didn't otherwise reply.

"I suppose that makes sense," Megu continued. "But... have you thought that really he might have meant something else entirely?"

Synchronized blinks and replies of "Huh?" were her answer.

"Think about it," the black-haired girl continued. "What if his true plan is to get you to see past the surface rules and figure out the real, hidden goal?"

"And what goal would that be?" Kaou asked.

"Well, it's only a guess, but maybe to teach you how to work together, not fight with each other?"

Rirakku shook her head decisively. "We already work together just fine. Heck, as a team we can survive for almost twenty seconds against Cousin Ukyo going all-out!"

Kaou rolled her eyes. "While I'm as proud of that as you are, sis, that doesn't mean it means anything to her."

"You're right," Megu confessed. "Like I already said, today is my first time visiting this place. In fact, I'm only here now because someone said there were things in Nerima I needed to learn." She gave a quick bow. "Any help you could provide with that would be appreciated."

Rirakku gave her an inquisitive look. "Someone said you needed to come here and learn something? I'd be glad to help if I could, Honored Customer, but that's awfully vague."

"You're telling me," Megu said with a sigh. "I don't have much more to go on than a name. Have either of you heard of a Chinese woman named Mon Lon?"

"Not me." "Nope."

"It figures," Megu said, firing one more exasperated thought in the general direction of Suigin Tou.

"But you're asking the wrong people," Kaou added. "You should go to the Amazon Quarter with a question like that."

Megu's eyebrows rose curiously. "The... Amazon Quarter?"

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, Megu emerged from the maze of twisting little back-streets. It would have been much faster to backtrack to the road she'd been on prior to the detour which took her to the Kuonji twins, but she hadn't bothered. It wasn't like she was operating under a time limit. Plus, she'd halfway hoped she might run into another interesting encounter in the hidden bywaters of the ward.

Except for a cat that had sent an odd prickle down her neck, she hadn't found anything. And that had probably been her imagination, Megu admitted. Certainly the coal-black, blue-eyed tom had been friendlier and in better condition than she expected for a stray, but it hadn't actually _done_ anything to support that faint tingle she'd felt. Megu supposed it was just another quirk from the part of her which had wanted the Kuonji twins to be clones.

"In any case, it won't be long before I find what I came here for," she murmured as she walked along the main roadway she had encountered. "Amazon territory... just keep heading away from the train station and look for the signs, and I won't be able to miss it." She ran the aforementioned signs back through her mind, wondering whether the younger girls had sneaked in a joke or two. _'Shops that post both Japanese and Mandarin billboards... almost all businesses will be restaurants, shopkeepers, artisans, or healers... no cars even on roads that look like they were meant for that kind of traffic... at least one empty, vacant lot every three blocks, with no fences or 'keep out' signs... Chinese teenagers with hair colors that I 'better not assume comes out of a bottle','_ to use Kaou's words, _'oh, and if I see such a girl fighting a boy in one of those lots, and she's losing and looks happy about it, then I'm close enough to ask for more specific directions.'_

The Kuonji girls had been vague about exactly where she needed to go. Both were certain she could find people there who could answer her questions, even after Megu had given them a brief summary of the changes her life had taken. The trouble was, neither had any idea how to get in touch with those people. Kaou thought she'd heard talk of a certain bookstore. Rirakku dredged up the memory of someone mentioning a cat-themed ramen joint. But as far as actual names went, the girls had both drawn blanks.

* * *

"Still, you're not in any hurry, right?" Kaou had asked. "You've got all the time you need to wander around and play tourist."

"It's probably a good idea to take it slow anyway," Rirakku added. "Even for Nerima, there's a lot of power concentrated there. And it sounds to me like it's the upper-level people you need to talk to. You're bound to be way better off if you get some kind of idea what you're dealing with before you meet someone like that." She wrapped her arms around herself and gave an exaggerated shiver. "I'd hate to think of going in blind and facing someone like Matriarch Cologne."

Kaou snorted loud enough that Megu's ears rang. "I keep telling you, those stories have got to be Amazon propaganda. Or urban legends."

* * *

Thinking back, Megu had to smile and agree. A tiny little old lady who had lived for hundreds of years on strength and skill alone, and had enough of both to level city blocks single-handedly? Clearly she wasn't the only one who enjoyed flights of fancy. Still, there was usually a grain of truth at the center of rumors, even ones so overblown as that. Reduce the rumored age by three-quarters and the reputed power level by ninety percent, and what was left would still be someone Megu would be eager to meet. And all the more so, that whimsical corner of her mind whispered, if by some chance the stories really hadn't been exaggerated.

"WOO-HOO! WHAT A HAUL, WHAT A HAUL!"

The gloating, chortling cry split the air. Megu jumped involuntarily and whipped her head from side to side, searching for the origin of the sound. Upon finding it, she stood gaping in shock.

Just ahead of her, the road she was on intersected with another. The crosswise lane was even wider than her current route, wide enough for a crowd of young women to charge down at breakneck speed without actually breaking their necks. Ahead of them bounced a tiny figure in a worn maroon bodysuit, with a mask tied over his face and a bulging sack behind him. The mask didn't hide his pointy little mustache or the fact that he was mostly bald, allowing Megu to identify him as male. His sack was easily three times his size, but by progressing via leaps and bounds he kept it from dragging on the street. Perhaps that explained his choice of locomotion, or perhaps not... no matter how nimble they were, it was hard to believe legs that short could possibly run fast enough to keep him ahead of the crowd.

Even as Megu watched, several girls—apparently finding new energy in the wake of the old man's yell—blazed forward from the front of the pack, two on his left and three on his right, attempting to nail the sprightly senior citizen with a pincer assault. This would have been bad enough if they had been empty-handed, but that was only the case for one of them. The others were carrying a sword, a pair of daggers, a bladed flail, and a baseball bat with nails in it.

In the back of Megu's mind, a lone voice of reason was yammering, trying desperately to get her moving in time to save their target from certain death... not that she had any idea how to accomplish this. However, that unfrozen cluster of brain cells had only managed to hitch her jaw most of the way shut by the time it became academic. The old man blurred, spinning on an impossible course that saw him and his sack safely through the converging girls, the daggers embedded in a wall, the bat entangled in the flail, and the sword shattered under a redirected strike from the empty-handed attacker.

Oh, and while he was at it he managed to snag the bras away from the two girls who had still been wearing them. Megu wasn't able to follow the actual motion of liberation, but his follow-up caressing of the undergarments, followed by carefully stowing them in his sack, was clearly visible.

Needless to say, her jaw was once again dangling as low as it would go.

Not that her mind had completely frozen even now. It was just that the active corner was spending all its resources to activate her legs, taking several long, careful steps backward... but if she was thinking that action would be helpful, she was sadly mistaken. Everyone else who had been on the road with her, or on the intersecting road ahead, was running away at full speed. Megu's precaution only served to make her stick out like a sore thumb.

"Well, hello there, cutie," said the old man as he skidded to a stop in the intersection, pulling off his mask and looking right at her. There was a brief pause in the dialogue as the crowd of girls caught up with him and spun round and round like a whirlpool attempting to devour a tiny spire of rock. Through the occasional gap in the melee, the man continued to eye Megu with a quizzical stare, even as he dodged, redirected, or outright blocked attacks that should have torn him limb from limb. "I don't think I've seen you before. C'mon, say hello to Grandpappy Happi and join the fun."

"F- fun?" Megu echoed, far too quietly for anyone normal to hear over the noise of the melee. She stared for a minute that seemed an eternity to her, watching the old man effortlessly deal with insane levels of violence. As far as she could tell, the only counterattacks he made were humiliating grabs at the prettiest girls' tops and bottoms. If he missed even once, it didn't happen when she was watching. "Join... that?" she said at last. "Are you out of your mind?"

Impossibly the old man redoubled his pace, now moving fast enough to direct the flow of battle with exquisite control. At least, that was the only possible explanation Megu's frazzled mind could come up with for the fact that suddenly, even though the hunt-pack of girls was fighting harder than ever, there was always a clear path between her and the geezer. "It doesn't look appealing at all?" he asked. "No dreams of being the one to finally take down the terrible, horrible Happosai? You wouldn't just be saying that to try and get in a cheap shot when my back is turned, would you?"

Megu shook her head, her eyes wide and her lips clamped together. The situation wasn't enough to make her wish for the safety of her old, unlamented hospital bed, but she was definitely feeling a desire for the haven she and Suigin Tou had established at the top of a Tokyo skyscraper.

"Ah well, I must have been mistaken," the ancient master said with a shrug. "I thought your aura felt at least a bit like that gloomy little cursed doll from awhile back. But you haven't got any of her guts—and considering how she didn't even have a midsection, that's saying something."

With a gasp that actually carried over the din of battle, Megu staggered to the side. Her legs couldn't seem to decide whether they wanted to retreat or charge forward. "W... What?" she asked, but it seemed Happosai was no longer paying attention to her. The narrow gap he'd opened between the two of them had closed, and Megu could no longer even see the tiny terror. The only evidence of his presence at the center of the melee was gloating commentary from him as he dodged death and copped feels, and the counterpoint of feminine squeals and screams of fury.

Megu stared for a few seconds longer, silent and motionless. However, her thoughts were anything but still. As amazing as her angel was, she knew good and darn well that Suigin Tou couldn't hope to match the combat prowess she was witnessing from Happosai. It was obvious from the old man's words that his path and Suigin Tou's had crossed recently... and suddenly, the First Doll's reaction when Mon Lon mentioned Nerima made a lot more sense...

"How dare he do that..." Megu whispered, not even realizing she was speaking, "you..." this in a normal tone, and now she had awoken to the reality of her own outrage, and the impossibility of ignoring it, "HOW DARE YOU!"

Throwing caution to the winds, she leapt straight up into the air, shooting in an instant to a three-story height directly over the intersection. She had fully intended to follow up the move with some kind of attack—probably an imitation of the energy blasts she'd seen a few of the attacking girls use during the brief span when their target wasn't completely surrounded—but her new bird's-eye view revealed a problem with this. Namely, there just wasn't a big enough open space at the center of the fight for her to only hit Happosai.

Even in the midst of her outrage, she wasn't about to sacrifice others for a shot at vengeance. But that left the knotty problem of what to do next.

She was concentrating too hard on that problem, and missed the moment when Happosai turned to regard her hovering form out of the corner of his eye, an unmistakable gleam of renewed interest showing there. But when she just continued to hang motionless and lost in thought, the gleam died down (though it didn't vanish entirely) and the ancient lecher returned his full attention to the fun at hand.

Meanwhile, Megu wondered... how to target someone as skilled and agile as the old man without making collateral damage out of the girls attacking him? In her experience, the power of the Rose Bond could be made to do almost anything physical that she could imagine, but the amount of energy required was based at least in part on how well she understood what she was doing. For example, flying had been almost impossible at first, until Suigin Tou watched her attempts closely enough to realize that she was doing something very different from the Maiden's own effortless glides. They had worked together to first learn what Suigin Tou's method truly was—an instinctive N-field manipulation, to shunt gravity out of the real world in her immediate vicinity—and then teach it to Megu as well.

Based on this, it wasn't at all surprising that flight now came so easily to her... much easier than the emotional projection tricks she'd developed from her encounter with Key, for instance. She didn't understand those well at all yet. It was a pity, too; she suspected that if she had mastered those abilities, they could provide an effective way to handle the present situation.

Even at her current level, Megu was confident that she could broadcast a blanket of apathy, wide enough to affect everyone in the battle at once and powerful enough to bring the fight instantly to a halt. After all, that was one emotion with which she had plenty of experience. Unfortunately, that wouldn't do what she wanted; the girls fighting below were simply moving with too much speed and force. She could shift them instantly into a state of mind where they no longer cared about anything, but that wouldn't erase residual velocity from the girls or their weapons. If as few as ten of them ended up slashed, bashed, or skewered, Megu would count herself lucky. No, that option was out.

At last, with no idea of anything better to try, she lobbed a weak, carefully-configured energy blast at Happosai. She wasn't in the least surprised to see him dodge it; what was surprising was that it didn't hit anyone else either. She tried again, with identical results as far as she could see, and yet again.

Megu had been wrong when she assumed no difference between her second attempt and her first. Happosai had gotten an odd twinge from the first blast, but hadn't been paying enough attention to figure out what that unusual taint to it had been. For her second, he repeated his dodge-and-make-sure-no-one-else-takes-the-hit tactic, but this time he paid the attack enough attention to figure it out. And so, as Megu's third blast streaked down toward him, he blithely sidestepped while nudging the nearest cutie into its path.

It passed harmlessly through her, just as Megu had intended.

Happosai favored her with the most obnoxious grin Megu had seen in her whole sheltered life. "Try again, sweetcheeks—WHOA!" The old man gave an exaggerated dodge, weaving through the three MUCH stronger blasts that Megu was now confident enough to throw.

Despite the fact that they had no real effect on the girls they hit, those unfortunates were knocked out of their battle groove anyway. "What the hell is your problem?!" one of them shouted up at Megu. "Don't hit us, hit him!"

"Those will only hurt men, not women!" Megu snapped back. "You've got nothing to worry about, unless you're cross-dressing!"

This turned the other girl's snarl into a smile. "Nah, the old lech weeded those guys out at the very beginning. Sorry I yelled at you; throw as many of those things as you like!"

This bizarre response was enough to knock Megu as much off-balance as her unintended targets had been. Then, with a shake of the head and a reminder of why she was fighting, she returned her attention to the battle. As far as she could tell, nothing much had changed since she first took to the air. The women were still circling the lone, tiny male at high speed, doing their best to snuff him from existence. And he continued to defeat their best efforts with a flair that made it look easy, while keeping up a steady stream of gropes and lewd remarks to ensure none of the ladies lost the fine edge of their bloodlust.

She watched for a few seconds longer, this time paying full attention to Happosai rather than splitting her focus between her objective and her options. She quickly became convinced of one thing—if she kept lobbing small spreads like the last one, she'd use up all her energy long before she made a positive impact on the battle. The old man was just too good to succumb to them.

And so, Megu took a deep breath and burned two-thirds of her remaining strength, launching a fusillade twice as wide as the melee below.

The massive energy expenditure caused her to drop a few feet before she could shake off the wave of weariness and recover herself. By that time the hundreds of blasts she'd launched had covered three-quarters of their journey, but were still so tightly packed as to have less than two inches between adjacent pulses of energy. No matter how good this mysterious Happosai was, she knew he couldn't dodge _that_.

She regained her focus just in time to see the old man pull a pipe out of one sleeve and spin it above his head, not only intercepting the blasts that would have nailed him, but also pulling in the ones that would have missed by less than a yard. They dispersed with a hiss and a crackle, the unbound energies flowing away from the pipe and into the sack that Happosai had impossibly carried with him the whole time. The old man let out a cackle and looked up at her. "Thanks, girlie!" he called as he returned the pipe to storage. "There's only one thing better than lovely silky darlings freshly charged with feminine energy, and that's _supercharged_ silky darlings. C'mon, throw another one of those!"

The melee around Happosai had slowed noticeably due to her barrage, but was still too energetic for her to use the only tactic that might make a difference now. Megu's shoulders slumped. She gritted her teeth, turned her head, and closed her eyes. _'I suppose it was stupid of me to think I could win a fight like this. Not if Suigin Tou herself couldn't handle this little... whatever-he-is.'_

She might have abandoned all hope of defeating Happosai and looked away, but the ancient lecher was still paying attention to her, while only giving the resurging battle enough of his notice to avoid being creamed. "Don't quit on me now, my dear. Right after you manage your best attack yet is no time to give up!"

The raven-haired girl shook her head involuntarily, and began to slowly drift away.

Happosai frowned up at her, the expression fraught with such menace that Megu felt it even without looking. She froze, her head turning automatically back to look at him. "You're new here," he said in a conversational tone that shouldn't have reached her ears as clearly as it did, "so let me give you a piece of advice. I don't like it when people don't give their best when they go up against me. It makes me feel sad and unappreciated. And that's really not a good idea at all. HyyAHH!"

The cry at the end of his monologue accompanied the reappearance of his pipe, spinning in a pattern that made Megu's eyes hurt as it seemed to bend across more than three dimensions. The old man slammed it into the ground, triggering a shockwave that knocked all the girls around him back at least ten feet. The wave wasn't circular, though, but rather C-shaped; for two hundred seventy degrees around Happi his attackers were thrown straight back, but there was a ninety-degree arc where they were cleared out of the way entirely.

Happosai wasn't finished yet. He brought the pipe quickly to his lips, drew in a deep breath through his nostrils even as the bowl suddenly glowed a cheerful red, and then breathed forcefully out. A huge rolling mass of smoke and flame roared forth as if the pipe were the maw of a dragon. The Siamese-twin miasmas streamed forward through the newly-opened gap in the crowd.

The smoke kept its position in the lead, and was the first element to reach beyond what had previously been the outer limits of the brawl, traveling uneventfully for thirty feet—

—then it rolled over the figure of a girl slinking carefully away, and Megu blinked in confusion, because suddenly she was aware that the girl had begun making her retreat half a minute ago, she had seen it clearly but something had kept the sight from registering until now—

—then the fire reached the nameless girl and washed over her, leaving her speckled with ash but not actually burned. And it was easy to tell that she hadn't been burned, because every scrap of clothing that had covered her was now enjoying a second life as the aforementioned ash.

Nor did Happosai see fit to leave it there. He blazed forward along the open path, putting the lie to Megu's earlier thoughts about how fast he could possibly run. He reached the girl and gave one last spin of his pipe, which didn't even seem to touch her... but nonetheless she was flung up, up, and away, sailing far higher than Megu's drifting height and vanishing into the distance with a swiftly-fading howl.

For the first time in what was not nearly long enough, Megu felt her heart skip a beat. _'He... he... I don't believe it... just like that, he killed that girl...'_

Horror such as she'd never known surged through her, freezing her body motionless even as her eyes shied away, fleeing the patch of empty sky that had tracked one helpless girl's passage from life to death. Distantly, as if in a dream, she noticed that the remainder of the girls were still picking themselves up from Happosai's knockback attack, and the lecher himself was ambling back to meet them with a renewed cheerful grin on his face. "You can cut and run if you really want to," he called over his shoulder to Megu, "but I can't promise you'll like what happens next."

The ice, the horror, they were only growing thicker... and then, with a faint sigh, Megu released them all.

A wave of sadness descended upon the battlefield, a weight too crushing to allow any effort greater than breath, released from a girl who'd never wanted to feel that way again. _'Just a moment longer,'_ Megu told herself as she watched everyone below her sag to a halt. No-one yet had been moving fast enough to hurt herself or anyone else with her left-over momentum. It was the first and only time the battle had provided her with such an opening; she wished with all her heart that the price hadn't been so high. _'Just one more moment, and then I can set them all free. But first...'_ She stared grimly down at Happosai, motionless along with the rest, and once more touched those deep, dark memories of her old life.

Her new attack was, if anything, more powerful than the last. But it was condensed into a single bolt, the width of a finger and the color of corroded lead, which lanced down straight for Happosai.

He scooted effortlessly to the side, watching with interest as it bored a sixty-foot path straight down through the ground. "Yowza. Where'd a cute young thing like you learn to throw chi like that?" he asked, looking up at her with his pose of disability now long gone, replaced by an unmistakably curious gleam in his eyes.

"What does it take to stop you?!" Megu wailed.

"Way more than you've got, I assure you. Now come on down and let's talk. You've managed to interest me enough that I don't feel like playing any more."

Megu clamped her lips together and shook her head wildly, beginning to drift unconsciously backward.

Happosai's eyes narrowed. "This is me, asking nicely. For the last time, I might add."

With a wordless cry of fear and shame, Megu whirled and bolted for freedom. Behind her came the bizarre exclamation of "Bean Jam Blowout Revised!" Right on the heels of the cry followed a minor whirlwind, which grabbed her and began dragging her gently but inexorably backward.

It felt like it took all the strength she had left, but Megu managed to twist around so that she could at least meet her fate with her eyes open. "Suigin Tou... I'm sor—huh?"

She hadn't had a chance to dispel the apathy blanket over the girls, but nonetheless from the edge of the pack one of them was now charging straight for Happosai: a girl clad in a dark brown gi, about her own age with short, blue-black hair and an expression like grim death. She had one fist cocked back for a haymaker... but as she closed within ten feet of Happosai, her other hand pulled a plastic bottle out of nowhere Megu could see, and the fist came around to smash through this and release a cloud of water.

And suddenly there were _two_ short-haired girls charging side-by-side toward Happosai, identical save that one was stark naked.

"SWEEEET-O!" the ancient lecher caroled, bounding toward the predictable target. The naked girl broke stride at the last instant, letting her twin get one pace ahead as Happi soared through the air toward the object of his delight. The girl not currently breaking the public decency laws brought her fist around and up, slamming into the completely unguarded lecher and sending him into the stratosphere like the world's ugliest surface-to-air missile.

Both short-haired girls panted in fury for a few moments, before the one who still had clothing pulled out another flask, this one made of metal. A bright red aura danced around her hand for a few moments, at the end of which time she dumped the flask's contents over her head. Her nude twin wavered and vanished.

That, Megu decided, was just a little too much. She drifted the rest of the way to earth, dispelled the lingering apathy shroud almost as an afterthought, and then, with a profound sense of relief, fainted dead away.

* * *

The first thing she became aware of, as she struggled her way back to consciousness, was the smell.

To someone with a greater range of experience than Megu, it would have brought many things to mind. A spring morning in a meadow far from civilization. The crisp, fresh air that follows a cleansing storm. A garden in the cool of the evening, when some flowers close for the day even as others begin to open. A poet could have done a lot of quality work on a single breath of that aroma.

In Megu's case, the best she could manage as she stumbled awake was 'bracing and very nice'.

Her eyes focused on the cup of tea that was being wafted around in front of her—the source of the aroma. Her mouth was already watering. Her hands twitched, almost moving of their own accord to grab the cup away from the one holding it. Meanwhile, Megu's eyes traveled from the cup to the hands circled around it, to the arms supporting them, to the girl responsible for it all: her short-haired, gi-clad rescuer from before.

"Good, you're awake," her host said, setting the cup in front of Megu and pouring a second for herself. "Drink up." As Megu reached for the offering, the girl added, "If you want more than what we've got in the teapot, you're going to have to pay for it yourself."

"Hmm," Megu murmured after a few careful sips of the dark orange liquid. "The best okonomiyaki _and_ the best tea I've ever tasted. This town does have its good points as well as its bad."

"So the little pervert was right about you being new here." The mystery girl grimaced. "Why am I not surprised. It sure would be nice to see him make a mistake nowadays, even if it was too small to bite him."

Megu blinked. She didn't think she'd really been intended to hear that last part, considering how quietly it had been muttered, but it was nonsensical enough that she couldn't keep silent. "What? Why would that matter? I mean... you killed him, didn't you?"

Judging by the way the other girl's eyes bugged out, and particularly by the peals of sardonic laughter that followed, Megu guessed the answer was probably 'no'.

"No..." the girl said, shaking her head and letting out a last few chuckles. "I'm afraid not. All that did was buy me enough time to bring you here, to a place where he won't go."

"And where is 'here'?" Megu asked, the question coming automatically. Rather than thinking about what she was saying, she was now looking around and studying her surroundings. The two of them were seated in a corner booth of a sparsely but elegantly decorated tea shop. The walls bore several beautiful landscape prints, a few of which featured writing that Megu hesitantly identified as Mandarin. The furniture looked oddly heavy and sturdy to her, and the glass in the windows was at least three times regulation thickness. There were four waitresses she could see, none of them with black hair and only one with brown eyes. Before her host could answer the question, Megu turned back to her and continued, "Is this... the Amazon quarter?"

"Right in the middle of it, yeah," the girl said with a grimace. "The one part of town where you'll never see that miserable little pervert."

As they were both seated at a table Megu couldn't bow, but she inclined her head as deeply as her position allowed. "Thank you very much for bringing me here. My name is Megu Kakizaki."

"Akane Tendo, and you're welcome. By the way, you don't live with anyone who's allergic to horses, do you?"

* * *

Akane watched the mystery girl crumple gracefully to the pavement. Behind her the rest of the girls began to stir, and in a few particularly hardy cases pull themselves to their feet. Before she could decide what to do next, she was distracted by a new element—the thunder of approaching hoofbeats. "It figures," she muttered sourly.

Turning around, she saw the utterly expected sight of a handsome young man on an even more handsome steed, a snow-white stallion charging down the road to the site of the recent battle. "HAPPOSAI!" bellowed the rider, brandishing an oversized tea-strainer, as big as a katana and with equally sharp edges. "Where are you, villain?!"

"Oh, Daimonji-san, you literally missed him by seconds," said one of the girls, staring up at him with sparkling eyes. "Tendo-san used a desperation attack to knock him far away."

The teen slumped momentarily. "Then it seems I'm too late."

"Funny how often that happens," Akane muttered.

"But no! I was too late to help try to bring him to justice, but I'm not too late to provide help to you girls in recovering!" He jumped down from his seat and opened one of his saddlebags, bringing out a large, aromatic sack. "This green tea is the best blend for soothing weary muscles and restoring lost energy that my family can make." He walked around to the other saddlebag and retrieved a large teapot and hot-plate. "It might not be worth its weight in gold, but silver isn't so very much of a stretch. And if all I can do on behalf of my gender to apologize to yours for the existence of Happosai is to offer this free of charge, then that is what I'll do!"

"And when you get home you'll write it all off under advertising costs," Akane commented, though she retained enough goodwill to keep her voice too low to be heard. Honestly, Kentaro was just like his cousin Sentaro had been when Akane first met him—basically good-hearted, but with more cash than courage or wisdom. Shaking her head, she walked over to his unattended steed.

"Excuse me?!" Kentaro yelped as Akane took hold of the horse's bridle and began leading it over to Megu's position. Noticing exactly _who_ that girl taking his horse was, he quickly moderated his tone. "Ah... Tendo-san, what are you doing?"

Akane favored him with a flat stare, then gestured toward Megu. "Happosai wants to talk to her, and I wouldn't wish that on anybody. But I don't feel like doing a fireman's carry all the way to safe ground." She placed one hand on the horse's withers and pressed down authoritatively. The animal knew better than to balk, and knelt without delay. Akane moved around to pick up Megu and set her in place. "I'll send Pretender here back to the Daimonji compound after I'm done."

"Um... his name's Defender, actually..." Kentaro let the protest trail off. "Right. Take as long as you need."

* * *

Megu blinked. "What? Allergic to horses? No, but why on earth would you ask?"

"That's how I carried you here," Akane explained.

"Really?" Megu asked, her eyes wide. "So not only can you split yourself into two people, you can even change into a completely different form?"

"A _borrowed_ horse." Akane closed her eyes and massaged her temples. "You'll jump to a conclusion like that, but you didn't realize Happosai would shrug off a little ten-mile flight?"

"Well, which one of those is really less believable?" Megu protested. "I mean, considering how you beat him."

"I suppose you're right," Akane conceded. "Still, you've got a lot to learn about how things are here."

"You're telling me?" Megu said with a faint smile. This faded into a tense look as she asked, "So... if he wasn't really hurt by what you did... does that mean he didn't kill the girl he threw away either?"

Akane snorted. "Not unless she was angry enough to burst a blood vessel. Judging by the angle he launched her on, I think she landed in a local 'guys only' hot spring."

"Oh dear." _'At least she seemed to know how to hide in plain sight.'_

"That's the Anything Goes Grandmaster for you," Akane said with a twisted smile. "He'd run a mile over broken glass before he'd inflict a half-inch cut on a pretty girl, but he'll put you through training that makes you _wish_ you were dead."

Megu considered this for a moment. "Would running a mile over broken glass be an actual problem for him?"

This time Akane's smile was a little more genuine. "Nope. You're catching on."

"But I've still got a lot to learn about how things are here," Megu quoted, with a wider smile. "Can you help me with that?"

"That's why I'm here," Akane said, her tone and expression suddenly weary. "That's why I went that far to rescue you from my own so-called 'master'."

Megu stared across the table in shock. "W-what?" she managed after a long moment. "That... Happosai is your _master_?"

Akane shrugged. "He's the founder and Grandmaster of the Anything Goes school of martial arts, and that style is part of who I am as a Tendo. I've known that ever since I was old enough to start learning what it meant, way before the little pervert crawled out from the rock he was hiding under and introduced himself. I'm not about to give it up on his say-so, and I'm damn well not going to take any life-lessons from him—except in what not to do," she said fiercely. "Which is why we're here, with me helping you in spite of what he's going to have to say about it."

"And what will he say?" Megu half-gasped, half-whispered, horrified at what she was hearing.

" 'Ah, Akane, it does my old heart good to see you finally progressing in the philosophical side of our Art. Ready for your next lesson?' " The Tendo girl's effort to imitate Happosai's voice and trademark leer were half-hearted at best, since she knew she couldn't do them justice (and was frankly just as happy about that).

Whatever Megu had expected, it wasn't this. "What?" she said blankly. "He'll be glad that you defeated him like that?" She hesitated, then said, "I mean, I might be able to see it if he'd actually landed on that naked copy of you, but..."

"It's not a copy," Akane said. "It's me just as much as the body that keeps my clothes on. As soon as either of us gets splashed with hot water, I'm back in one body again with the memories from both of them."

"Really? That's a very interesting ability. How did you learn to do it?"

"It's a curse, and it certainly wasn't my choice. It was what happened the one time I told Happosai to his face that I wasn't going to quit practicing Anything Goes but I also wasn't going to listen to him when he said I wasn't putting enough effort into training." Akane stared fiercely down into her still-untouched cup of tea. "He said it was his idea of a compromise."

"And... you hate to use it, but you did anyway because it was the only thing that would have worked... and that's what will make him happy? What will encourage him?" Megu asked, stretching her guessing skills to the limit. Akane nodded. Megu took a minute to think about what encouraging Happosai would likely mean. When the images became too disturbing she pushed them away, gulped, then forced out, "Then... I'm sorry. I never meant to cause you such trouble, Tendo-san."

"I know you didn't. Now, why do you think I told you all that? It wasn't to make you feel bad," Akane said. When Megu simply gave her a helpless look, she continued, "Of course you didn't mean to do something like that. You had no idea it would happen, but it did anyway. That's one of the most important things to understand about Nerima—there's power here like most people wouldn't even believe, but if you mess around with things you don't understand, there _will_ be consequences."

Megu squeezed her eyes shut. "If... if there's anything I can do to make it up to you, please just say—"

"Will you stop and think for a minute?" the other girl interrupted, her tone dry but not harsh. "Yes, I'm going to have to put up with grief from Happosai now instead next week or next month, but it's nothing that wasn't coming anyway. I _never_ go more than ten weeks without something like that, and it only lasted that long once because of the Paris Lingerie and Swimwear Expo. Anything you owe me will be paid back by just listening and really understanding what I'm trying to tell you."

"I... yes. I'll do that," Megu said, nodding emphatically.

"Good," Akane replied, meeting Megu's gaze. "One person who screwed everything up by not paying attention to what was really happening is enough for this table."

Megu blinked and ran that last sentence back through her mind. It sounded like something that Akane should have muttered under her breath, speaking so quietly that she wouldn't have thought Megu had heard her. But no, the Tendo girl had said it in the same tone as her previous lines. Had Akane intended her to ask what she meant by it?

Before Megu could do so, Akane was talking again. "Obviously I couldn't pay much attention to you during Happosai's 'group training session'," she continued, speaking as if those three words pained her. "But I could tell you didn't look confident with those powers you were throwing around. Either you haven't had them long, or you're a _really_ good actor. Which one is it?"

"The first one," Megu answered. "That's why I'm here, I think. At least, a woman named Mon Lon asked me how long I'd had my abilities, and when I told her I gained them recently she said I needed to come to Nerima to learn some important lessons."

Akane smiled thinly. "Right. How would you say that's going so far?"

Megu paused for thought. She sat in silence for a minute or two, then took a deep breath, smiled, and said, "I think it's going very well."

Akane's jaw dropped. "W-what?" she asked feebly. "But you... I mean... _Happosai!_"

"Of course that part wasn't much fun," Megu said. "...Okay, actually it was pretty terrible toward the end. But the reason it was terrible was because I thought things that simply weren't true. Because I couldn't understand what was actually happening. It's the lesson you were trying to teach me earlier, Tendo-san, and I know very well that you were right. Ignorance is _not_ bliss." She noticed the other girl try and fail to suppress a wince at her last sentence.

"Well, I'm glad I got through to you there," Akane said slowly. "But what about the rest of what I said?"

"You mean when you warned me about how high the stakes could get here? I heard," Megu assured her. "But let me tell you a story now.

"I was born with congenital heart disease. Because of that I spent my first seventeen years in the hospital. Out of duty, my parents sent me tutors, and out of duty I listened to them, at least for awhile. But duty wore just as thin as everything else, and by the time I was twelve I was simply waiting to die. And it was another five years before my angel came into my life, and nearly two more years before we learned how I could share her power.

"So after hearing that, do you know what the worst part of today was for me? At least based on what I know now?" Megu's gaze sharpened. "It wasn't anything Happosai did. He was playing games with everyone... but they were trying to _kill_ him."

Akane grimaced but didn't look away. "Maybe you're forgetting what happened to Noriko, for daring to try sneaking away with a stealth technique before she totally exhausted herself. We were fighting him _exactly_ the way he wanted us to." She grimaced more painfully after the last sentence. "You know, saying that out loud doesn't make me feel any better about it. But not for the reason you said."

Megu shrugged. "Well, it does for me."

"Oh, really?" Akane replied sharply. "Then do you want me to take you to Happosai after all, so you can have that conversation he wanted?"

"Um..." The longer-haired girl wilted slightly. "I don't think I'd go that far."

"Good. At least you haven't—" Akane cut herself off. She was silent for a few moments, her eyes tightly closed. Then she opened them, and in a quieter tone said, "Look... I'm sorry. You've got a point, but it's not one I can listen to. I don't care that in his own twisted way, Happosai is actually pretty benevolent. I don't care that he's designed his little pleasure sprees to be very effective training for girl fighters. None of that makes it any easier for me to listen to someone else defend him, let alone someone my own age who was floating too high for him to get at her bra and panties."

"Hmmph," Megu said, finding a bit of spirit. "Maybe you _should_ take me to him, and I could just stay four stories up while we talk." It would give her a chance to get more information about Happosai's earlier encounter with Suigin Tou. If it had proceeded at all like hers, then the First Doll might well have been more frightened than she ought to be.

Akane gave her a flat stare, then dumped her now-cold cup of tea over her head. Megu noted that the naked girl appeared between the clothed one and the wall, a position which hid her from anybody who was currently within sight. "Remember what I said about how I got this 'ability'," the twins said in bitter stereo.

As the short-haired girl repeated her trick with the metal thermos, Megu was forced to concede the point. "Okay, I understand. I'll stay well clear of Happosai." She supposed it would be better to ask Suigin Tou for those details anyway.

"Good. But don't think that will be enough. You can't _afford_ to think that," Akane said, her tone hovering a few degrees away from pleading. "Happosai is a huge pain in the ass, but in the end he's only the biggest, most obvious symptom of the real prob—" After cutting herself off again, and once more pausing for a few silent, eyes-closed moments, she heaved a sigh and said, "The real _situation_."

"You're talking about Nerima itself, aren't you?" Megu asked shrewdly. "Because I've been here for less than three hours and already seen so many impossible things."

"Yes," said Akane. "That's exactly what I'm talking about." She stared down into her empty teacup. For a moment she seemed much farther away than just the opposite side of the table. "It wasn't always like this, you know," she said quietly. "Oh, it was weird all right, and there were more fighters with more styles than maybe anywhere else in Japan. But comparing that Nerima to what we've got today... it's like an egg and a chicken. That's how different it is."

"So why did it change?" Megu asked.

As far as she could tell, Akane ignored her completely. She was still looking down into her cup as she continued, "Nowadays, Nerima is a place where almost anything can happen, which means sooner or later it will. I already said something about the kind of power here, and how there's consequences for playing with it. But I'll be honest—for every loser, there's a winner, or even more than one. If you're ready to give enough of yourself to training, to get the strength and skill and knowledge you need, you can work miracles on your own, without needing a guardian angel to watch over you." Akane's lips had quirked into a faint, bittersweet smile as she said that last sentence. The expression faded as she continued. "Almost anything you can think of, you can have it if you're willing to fight hard enough for it."

Then she looked up, her eyes boring into Megu's with piercing, frightening intensity. "But the kami have mercy on you if you think there's something you shouldn't _have_ to fight for."

Megu sucked in a few ragged breaths. "Tendo-san... are, are you speaking from your own life? Did you lose something important to you?"

"I did," Akane said grimly. "The rules changed, other people changed with them, but I refused to admit it or do the same until it was too late.

"Don't ask for details; I've only said this much so you would understand how important what I'm telling you is. What's happening in Nerima is supposed to change the whole _world_. If you let it pull you in and you aren't careful, it's certainly big enough to change you whether you want it or not."

Thinking back to the moments when the girl across from her had been two girls, Megu supposed Akane had the right to say that. Still, she couldn't let the entire message pass without challenge, or at least without clarification. "To change the whole world? Why? And how is that even possible?"

"How is easy," Akane said. "Or at least, the idea is easy to understand. Think of powerful people as being like pieces of uranium. Slap a whole bunch of them together and you've got an atomic pile... and if you set it up wrong, you've got a horrible, out-of-control reaction or even an explosion. But if you did it right, the energy is self-increasing without causing a disaster."

Megu frowned thoughtfully, putting aside the question of 'why' for the moment. "I see... is it working?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I try not to pay that much attention to the big picture," Akane said. "I don't give a damn how much it irks Cologne or Happosai, that ninety-nine people out of a hundred in the world would just laugh if you said a normal person could learn to punch through an inch of solid steel. I've sat through lectures on wasted potential from both of them, and even if I couldn't out-argue Cologne about how terrible it would be to not even know what's possible, I don't have to agree with her." Akane frowned bitterly. "That wrinkly little mummy is hundreds of years old... what does she remember about what it's like to be young, or to care about ordinary things?"

"Hmm," Megu said. She hesitated, thinking of the best way to phrase what she wanted to say. "Then here's my next question. Is there... training... here that would let someone help others who were too weak to choose it for themselves? To bring people like that up to a point where they could go forward on their own?" It was her turn to fire an intense stare at the girl across the table from her. "Could an ordinary person, whose heart wasn't weak and leaky, learn to heal someone whose was?"

"I don't know," Akane replied. She paused for a moment, then admitted, "...Probably. Considering the technique Happosai used to save a little girl with leukemia, I guess I'd bet on it."

"That's all I needed to hear," Megu said. She offered Akane a beatific smile. "I won't forget your warnings, Tendo-san, but let me tell you something I've learned. You can't have life without risk. The most you can have is existence, and it's a very poor substitute."

"Maybe you're right," Akane said reluctantly. She looked down at her hands, clenched tightly around the teacup. "I guess scars can make you stronger. Even if they are ugly, and still hurt sometimes."

"In any case, I owe you more thanks than I can easily repay," Megu said. "Both for rescuing me and for telling me all these things."

"Don't forget paying for the tea," Akane said, trying for 'humorously' and making it at least halfway. "Amazon chi-restoring blends don't come cheap."

Megu blinked, focused inward, and blinked again. Her strength was almost fully recovered. Pushing the surprise off to one side, she refocused on the task at hand. "Then that makes this even more appropriate. I'd like to pay for something special for you, if it's okay?" It would wipe out the money she'd been saving, but under the circumstances that was no concern at all.

Akane gave her a curious look. "Like what?"

The long-haired girl smiled gently. "A ticket to hear a very special singer."

* * *

Author's Notes

Can't think of much to say here. What was outlined for the next chapter will conclude _Megu and Suigin Tou's Excellent Adventures_, but it's growing so long that I'm all but certain I'll need to break it into three pieces. Until next time.


	5. Chapter 5

Megu and Suigin Tou's Excellent Adventures

A Rozen Maiden fanfic by Aondehafka

Disclaimer: the characters and concepts of Rozen Maiden are owned by Peach Pit, not me. This story is based on the anime, not the manga.

* * *

Chapter 5: There and Back Again

* * *

The light of the setting sun gleamed crimson and gold against a hundred skyscraper windows. The wind gusted around and among the structures, carrying with it sounds of urban life, scents from the city and the sea beyond, and Megu.

Suigin Tou's medium gave a long, satisfied yawn. _'I'm glad I didn't spend too much time trying to imagine what Nerima would be like,'_ she mused as she floated along. _'There was no way I could have anticipated most of that. So many surprises, so many new horizons... opportunities, revelations, challenges...'_

She suspected she still had one challenge ahead of her. _'I'll be home in another ten minutes, if the wind doesn't shift,' _she estimated. _'I wonder if she's waiting for me. It was awfully convenient, finding a breeze blowing straight toward our home.'_ It was a nice thought, that Suigin Tou might have summoned up a wind to carry her along, but Megu realized it was also unlikely. If Suigin Tou knew she was on her way home and that she was operating on the last of her strength, surely the Maiden would have flown out to meet her.

"I wonder if she's very upset," Megu murmured. "Well, if she is, then she should be even happier to see I'm okay. She can't have looked closely enough at Nerima to understand what's happening there, what it's really like." She smiled. Her angel had done so much for her, it seemed only fitting that she could help lay some of Suigin Tou's fears to rest.

The wind shifted a minute later, proving that it had just been a fortunate coincidence. Megu was forced to propel herself rather than merely sidestep gravity. The extra effort provoked a weary groan from her, but even that had a certain satisfaction. She'd _earned_ this weariness, and it was a small price to pay for the experiences that had spawned it.

Still, by the time she spotted her balcony with its perpetually-open door, she could almost hear her futon calling. _'A few quick minutes to tell Suigin Tou I'm fine, and then to sleep. Tomorrow will be soon enough for anything more.'_

She touched gently down onto the balcony, walked through the door into her loft apartment, and collapsed with a pained grunt as something knocked her legs out from under her. Whatever it was maintained a death-grip there, which caused Megu to end up twisted at the waist so that her legs faced up while her torso faced the wall, one arm pinned beneath her, the other just managing to catch herself in time to soften the impact.

"WAAAHH! Y-y-you're _finally_ here!" cried the one who'd tackled her as Megu tried to lever herself up from the ground. The cry nearly made her slip and fall again. She'd only caught glimpses of her assailant so far, and with no lights on in the apartment little was clear. Whoever this was, her size, sex, and level of ornate elegance were a match for Suigin Tou's, but the squeal had removed all doubt—this was definitely _not_ her angel.

Grimacing, Megu forced her system to cough up a few dregs of adrenaline and bent gravity to bring herself upright. This prompted the other to let go of her and take a tiny step back, then several bigger steps to the side, then a full-blown dash-and-leap which ended with her outside on the edge of the balcony, balancing on the railing with her back to the emptiness beyond. Megu turned to keep an eye on her but didn't move to follow.

"H-hmph!" the Rozen Maiden said, brushing at her clothes. Megu squinted, but the doll's new position between her and the sun made it even more difficult to make out any details. "I guess that's _another_ one Suigin Tou owes me. Maybe even two or three, for making me stay in such a scary place so long. Why didn't you get back sooner, Megu?"

"Ah, I'm sorry," Megu said helplessly. "But... who are you?"

The Rozen Maiden made a noise like a dozen indignant cats. Putting her hands on her hips and leaning forward with a glare, she pronounced, "Ka - Na - Ri - AUUGH!" This last as her pose overbalanced her, sending her to plop chin-first onto the balcony floor.

With the doll no longer backlit at eye-level, Megu was able to get a better view of her. She had leaf-green eyes and light green hair, which was styled in ringlets and sported a ruffled heart-shaped ornament. She wore a bright yellow coat over a darker pleated pantsuit, which might have been either yellow or orange under clearer light. Her eyes were screwed almost shut as she rubbed her chin. "Are you all right?" Megu asked, glad that she didn't see any kind of cut or bruise where the doll was rubbing.

"Ow ow ow... hmmph! A little thing like that isn't worth talking about. Especially not compared to how everyone _always forgets my name!_" Kanaria complained.

"How can I forget you, when I've never met you before?" Megu asked, reasonably enough.

"There's only six or seven Rozen Maidens in the whole world, and I knew who _you_ were! Do you know how many human girls there are?"

Megu blinked, quickly giving up on finding a sensible answer to this. "Anyway, you said Suigin Tou told you to wait here for me?"

"Mm-hm, and tell her through Pizzicato as soon as you got back." The doll blinked. "Oops." She closed her eyes. Megu sensed a brief surge of power from her. "There!" Kanaria said, opening her eyes again. "She knows you're back, and she'll get here as fast as she can, and Pizzicato's going to meet me back at Micchan's. I'm going home now."

"Ah... I see," Megu said. By no means had this answered all her questions, but she didn't think she had enough energy to dig useful answers out of the mercurial little Maiden. She stepped to one side, giving Kanaria a clear path through the doorway. "Here," she said, gesturing at the opening when the Second Doll just stared quizzically at her. "Suigin Tou always comes through the big mirror in the living room, but there's another in the hallway you can use. You don't have to worry about running into her and bumping your head again."

"That's not what I'm worried about!" Kanaria exclaimed. "And I'm not going back in there! So hurry up and bring me my umbrella, okay?"

Megu blinked. "I'm sorry... your umbrella?"

"Didn't Suigin Tou tell you _anything_ about me?" Kanaria asked plaintively.

Megu quickly thought back over the few things her angel had mentioned. Nothing positive came to mind, at least not positive enough to be worth saying now. "She doesn't talk about the other Rozen Maidens much," Megu said apologetically. "And when she does, it's usually about Shinku."

"I might have known," Kanaria grumbled. "Anyway, I need my umbrella so I can fly away without going back in there." She did her best to hide a shiver.

"What's so scary about our apartment?" Megu asked, honestly bewildered.

"A-all those creepy little figures," Kanaria said, trying not to look like she was speaking through gritted teeth. "You've got them on every shelf, every flat surface, every room... and, and I swear those things were moving when I wasn't looking at them!"

"You mean... you didn't realize...?" Megu stared a moment longer, then turned and headed further into the apartment. She returned a few minutes later, carrying a doll-sized parasol in one hand. In the other she held a high-quality plastic molded Pokemon figurine, one of the dozens Kanaria had referred to. This one was Charizard, an orange lizard with green wings. Megu ran a gentle finger down its back and it leaned into the caress, then turned to give Kanaria a baleful stare.

"I-i-it's moving! It's really, really moving now!" the Maiden squealed, waving her arms frantically.

"Of course he is," Megu said. "Suigin Tou animated all of them. They're our security system."

Kanaria's jaw dropped. "W-What?"

"She didn't say anything to you, I suppose. But why would she? She got the idea from one of you in the first place. She had to have thought you'd know what they were without her saying anything."

"Why would she think that? She didn't get this inspiration from me!"

Megu gave her guest a questioning look. "I know I said she doesn't talk much about the rest of you, but she's told me a few things. I got the impression that you younger Rozen Maidens were one big happy family, with everyone always knowing exactly what's going on with everyone else."

"Maybe she hit her head in the fight with Barabara and Father forgot to fix it," Kanaria replied snippily. "We've all got our own lives, thank you very much!"

"Well, in any case, Suisei Seki was the one who found out that if you bring Pokemon dolls to life, they have their Pokemon powers." Megu patted Charizard again. "Thanks to that, we don't have to pay for water or electricity, or worry about anyone breaking into our home."

Charizard nodded his head, then began to carefully huff and puff. No flame was produced, only smoke—which rose into the air in a series of smudgy but legible kanji.

Megu studied the message, then looked back at Kanaria. "He says that he and the others only scared you because you were snooping around, poking into everything and making snide comments."

"Erk!" Kanaria drew back in a frozen, exaggerated posture. She held it for a few moments, then shook herself into motion again. "W-well, anyway, Suigin Tou didn't say I had to stay until _she_ got back, only until you did. So please let me have my umbrella, okay?"

"Here you go," Megu said, holding it out with a tolerant sigh. _'I remember Suigin Tou said Kanaria was the second most childish of the Rozen Maidens. Maybe it's just as well I haven't met Hina Ichigo yet.'_

The Second Doll stepped forward and took the parasol. The explanation seemed to have relieved her fear of Charizard, since she moved without hesitation and even stuck out her tongue when the Pokemon shot a few sparks at her.

Charizard apparently took exception to this, and spat a long, thin lance of white-hot flame that splashed against the fabric of the umbrella. Caught off-guard, Megu didn't jerk him backward until the damage had already been done... or rather, not done. There was no sign of scorching on the parasol.

"Nice try, you little gimcrack piece of mass-produced monkey business!" Kanaria crowed. "This umbrella was made for me by Father, the greatest craftsman in the world! No way is a puny thing like you strong enough to hurt it!"

By now Megu's long day had officially caught up with her. She was far too slow to stop the Pokemon's response. Charizard growled, glowed, and spat a huge, murky fireball twice the size of Kanaria. It rolled over her and through the balcony railing behind her, leaving the Second Doll smoking and charred black.

"AAHHH!" Megu shouted, tossing Charizard back inside the apartment and racing in after him. "Squirtle! Where's a Squirtle?!"

She darted back outside holding a reluctant-looking Water Pokemon, just in time to see the disgusted Kanaria finish brushing soot off herself. "My _clothes_ were _also_ made by Father, you little pest!" the Second Doll shouted past Megu.

_'For ­this I turned the last power I had into adrenaline and physical energy?'_ Megu closed her eyes and counted to ten, ignoring the rush of water and squawk of indignation as Squirtle decided he _did_ want to douse Kanaria after all. "Kanaria," she said, after opening her eyes and covering Squirtle with her free hand. "Didn't you say you were leaving?"

"I was going to, but maybe I've changed my mind!" Kanaria yelled indignantly. "Maybe I'd rather walk right back in there and play a Concerto of Dispelling! Suigin Tou can just animate all those little twerps again if she thinks it's worth it!"

A brilliant gleam of light emanated from the large mirror in the living room.

"Or maybe not," Kanaria said hastily, dashing through the hole in the railing and out into empty space. Megu watched just long enough to see the doll open her umbrella and sail away, on a path that ignored the direction of the wind.

Then she turned and hurried back into the apartment, entering just as Suigin Tou tumbled out of the mirror... and quite a tumble it was. The First Doll's dress was rumpled and disarranged so badly that at first Megu thought it had been torn. One of her wings was twisted around in a semicircle, with the end trapped somehow in a fold of the dress. The other wing extended stiffly behind her in a straight line. Clinging to her in various places were a large number of stone disks, each about the size and thickness of three stacked hundred-yen coins. It was obvious they were what had frozen her wings and pinned her dress in disarray.

With some difficulty due to the disk that prevented her right knee from flexing, Suigin Tou got to her feet. She stared up at Megu for a long, silent moment. "You look like you're in good shape for someone who spent the day in Nerima," she eventually pronounced.

"Um." Megu stared down helplessly, then knelt beside the Maiden. "...You don't."

"Then you _did_ notice." Suigin Tou glowered for a moment, then heaved a long, weary sigh. Megu started to reply, but the First Doll cut her off. "Wait a moment. I'm going to try something."

Megu watched as her angel closed her eyes and stood still, so still that for an instant she could have been a doll in truth. In that instant the disks fell from her to clatter on the floor.

"SNORLAXES!" Suigin Tou yelled, the momentary illusion of peace shattered. "Get in here!"

Waddling as fast as they could, a bunch of identical Pokemon entered the room – ones that looked like overweight teal-and-cream-colored bears. Megu watched as Suigin Tou flapped her wings, shedding feathers which swirled around the fallen stones and swept them forward into the Pokemons' yawning mouths. They gulped, settled onto their backs, and fell asleep.

"Not much for security, but wonderful garbage disposals," Megu joked, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Of course; that's why I kept them. If anyone ever broke in and had to be disposed of, this would be much more elegant than dumping the corpse in an N-field."

Megu blinked. "Um... you are joking, aren't you?"

"After the day I've had, I'm in no mood to joke," Suigin Tou said darkly. Then she relented, and continued, "But I didn't mean we'd go that far with ordinary human intruders. Mostly I was thinking about Enju or whatever replacements for Bara Suishou he has in the works. Or if Laplace has a little brother." She looked away from Megu, glaring in the direction of the mirror. "However, I can think of a few people from a certain ward that I wouldn't mind removing."

"I did spend the whole day there, you know," Megu interjected into the awkward silence. "And I didn't have any real problems. The closest I got was using up all my energy twice, and even there someone was kind enough to buy me a pot of strength-restoring tea."

The Rozen Maiden stared blankly at her. "Didn't... have... any...?" If she'd even heard Megu's last sentence, there was no sign of it.

Megu took a deep breath, and said as firmly as she could, "The things that were scary, scared me because I didn't understand them. I think that's how it will be for you too—when you go there with me next time."

Suigin Tou's expression slammed closed. "Excuse me? Not only do you want me to let you go back to that... that _deathtrap_, you even want me to come along?!" Then she blinked and shook her head. "Wait, that didn't come out right."

"I do want that," Megu said briskly, taking advantage of the First Doll's momentary confusion. "Mon Lon knew what she was talking about. There are many lessons I need to learn there, and from what I saw today, there are many more I want to learn. I don't know whether any of that will be true for you, Angel-san, but at least you should come with me to see what I said was true. It's not nearly as scary a place when you understand it."

"I suppose those revolting tiddlywinks were just an illusion, then?" Suigin Tou inquired acidly.

The sarcasm flew right past Megu as her mind grappled with one particular word. "Tiddlywinks?" she repeated.

"Oh, excuse me, _Martial Arts_ Tiddlywinks," Suigin Tou said, half-turning to give the mirror another glare.

"_Tiddlywinks_?" Megu echoed again.

Suigin Tou gritted her teeth. "Does it sound better to say 'small stone disks charged with life force, that clung tighter and tighter the harder I tried to get them off'?"

"I suppose. But just before you came back, I watched Charizard hit your little sister with a full-size fireball, and if it hadn't covered her with its own soot there wouldn't have been any effect at all. How can she ignore something like that, while something like this affects y—" Megu's eyes widened and her lips clamped shut. Too late, she realized what the answer must be, and she cursed herself for asking such a question. She might be feeling physically alert and energetic due to her panic over Kanaria's plight, but this was still the end of a very long, very challenging day. Otherwise she never would have asked such a horrible question, never would have brought up how Rozen hadn't seen fit to complete his first Maiden. She grimaced and said in a near-whisper, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Suigin Tou asked, clearly bewildered. "Father made us immune to normal damage. But since he wasn't a raving madman, he couldn't predict there'd be a place like Nerima."

Megu just sat there and blinked for several moments. "Oh. I never knew that about you."

Suigin Tou shrugged. "How else would our clothes have lasted through the centuries without needing to be repaired?"

* * *

Jun looked dubiously down at the emerald gown in his hands. He slid the fingers of his right hand all the way through a slit that hadn't been there this morning. "I don't like this," he said unhappily. "Sousei Seki shouldn't have cut it so close."

Suisei Seki tossed her head and gave an angry sniff. "Who asked you, anyway?" She gestured to the undergarments that were all she currently wore. "You don't see any cuts _here_, do you? She wasn't going to hurt me!"

"Did you want to fight her?" Jun pressed.

The Gardener didn't meet his eyes. "I wanted her to feel better. And... and practicing like that was what she wanted to do."

Jun grimaced, but decided to let it go for now. His brow furrowed in concentration as he looked down at the dress, and the ring on his finger glowed brightly green. The damage to the dress vanished as if it had never been. "Here you go."

"Thank you, Jun," Suisei Seki said quietly as she accepted the gown.

"Um... would you like me to make you some more clothes?" Jun asked. "I mean, this is the second time this week I've had to fix that, and it isn't even the dress you originally got from Rozen. I could make you more copies, or some completely different outfits...?"

"N-No thanks," Suisei Seki replied, turning her head so her blush wasn't visible.

"Well, okay... OUCH!" Jun rubbed unhappily at his suddenly-aching shin. "What was that for?!"

"Don't you know anything about manners? You're supposed to ask three times before you decide 'no' really means 'no'!"

* * *

"I never thought about that," Megu admitted.

"And it goes even farther," Suigin Tou continued. "That protection begins to weaken if we get within a few miles of each other. It weakens further the closer we get, and vanishes entirely by the time two dolls are close enough for the Alice Game. Only the Gardeners are immune to this effect, and only with each other."

"I guess it's lucky for Kanaria that we didn't set up our home close to Shinku and the others."

Suigin Tou sniffed haughtily. "As if I would flout Father's obvious will like that!"

"I don't know. You can be pretty sneaky when you want to be," Megu teased gently. "Such as right now, when you're trying so hard to distract me from what we were _really_ talking about."

Rather than a sniff, this time the First Doll sighed. Then, her expression hardening, she said, "Very perceptive, Megu. So, since you're suddenly seeing things so clearly, why don't you look into my eyes and decide if I'm going to listen to you tell me 'Let's go to Nerima, it's not that bad!'"

Megu did as requested, staring in silence for a few moments. At last, she looked away and said, "I understand."

"You do? Good."

"I do." _'I should drop this for now; it's going to take at least a month to wear her down.'_

* * *

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Suigin Tou grumbled. She stared down at the ground below as if wishing it were even farther away.

"I can't believe it only took a week," Megu said happily. She bent the air in front of her into a lens, persevering by trial and error until it provided enough clarity and magnification. Peering through it she inspected the cityscape below, trying without success to locate anything familiar. She'd visited some very distinctive places in her previous trip to the ward, but none had a remarkable exterior; not until a visitor went inside did she see anything truly extraordinary. Much like Nerima itself, Megu thought.

Of course, there were exceptions to this rule, as her current vantage made clear. Megu spotted several locations that were obviously unusual even from the outside. One appeared to be a massive open-air obstacle course, which sprawled the length of several city blocks. Another was a small palace that seemed to be made of ice, which steamed gently in the sunlight but didn't actually melt. A third...

Megu squinted, then tweaked the lens for even greater magnification. "Furinkan High," she said, reading the sign on the school gate. "That's where Shinku attends, isn't it?"

"Shinku?" Suigin Tou blinked, losing the teeth-gritted trepidatious look that Megu hadn't been paying attention to anyway. "Furinkan? Yes, that's right. Why do you ask?"

"Because... well, just look at what's going on there."

Her medium gestured invitingly at the lens construct, but Suigin Tou didn't need it. She sharpened her gaze and took in all the details. The main building sported obvious signs of damage. On the first four floors more windows were broken than not, and on the fifth all the ones she could see were missing their glass entirely. The roof was scorched black in several places, large enough to suggest mortar impacts save for the lack of craters. One wall bulged outward from ground level to the fourth floor, the result of a massive palm tree which at that point pushed through a window to spread its leaves in the sun.

As far as Suigin Tou could tell, events at the main building were over now. The excitement had moved to the athletics field. The entire student body was congregated there, along with the members of the faculty. The former, many of them clutching weapons that would have made normal administrators run screaming for the hills, had the latter surrounded.

Megu and Suigin Tou watched as the tableau held for a few seconds more, then broke. With a roar that the duo almost thought they could hear, the students charged in—and promptly began getting their assets handed to them. A woman-turned-girl-turned-teenager in yellow spandex held coins in both hands, one doing nothing that they could see, the other launching a constant barrage of energy blasts that scattered students like bowling pins. A darkly-tanned man with sunglasses, lei, floral-print shirt and shorts, and palm-tree topknot tossed exploding pineapples with one hand and played a ukulele with the other, and from the pained grimaces and hands clapped over ears the second attack was worse than the first. Melee combat was handled by a conservatively-dressed girl with black hair in a side-poneytail, who looked barely older than the seniors who fell beneath her gymnastics clubs. A grizzled man in a janitor's uniform swung a mop with wild abandon, laughing gleefully at the chance to get some payback at the people who made his job necessary. The airborne duo had to wonder—if the mop always crackled with energy like that, just how effective was it at cleaning messes rather than causing them?

Those four were clearly the star fighters on the teachers' side, but they weren't alone. From what Megu could see, she guessed that everyone on the Furinkan staff must be at least a black belt. Such skill would have impressed her a week ago, but now she knew better. In the current situation it just meant that when someone engaged them, they could hold out long enough for the fearsome foursome to come to the rescue.

At first Megu was reminded of the fight with Happosai. But as the minutes wore on, she realized this battle was progressing differently. Most of the best student fighters had positioned themselves on the outside of the ring that trapped the faculty, leaving the younger and weaker ones to play the role of cannon fodder. The teachers were still putting up a good fight, but it was clear that the tide had turned. When a group of girls wearing leotards and vindictive looks hurled a swarm of medicine balls at the poneytailed teacher, she failed to deflect them all. One slammed into her head with enough force to stagger her, the strongest student fighters surged forward with a roar, and the battle was over.

Megu watched, unable to quiet a tiny flutter of apprehension, but telling herself it was bound to be all right. Sure enough, the students did nothing worse than tie up the vanquished teachers and drop them off with the rest of the wounded. Several nurses appeared, who had apparently remained neutral in the recent rumble, and began administering first aid. Not wanting the reminder of her old life, Megu averted her eyes... satisfied that even in such an incredible disturbance everything had ultimately been okay.

"Keep watching, Megu," Suigin Tou instructed.

"Huh?" She turned back, refocused, and watched as a nurse waved a vial under the deeply-tanned man's nose, awakening him. Once he was conscious and looking up at her, she smiled sadistically, held up one hand, then pulled a rubber glove onto it with a snap! that Megu could feel if not hear.

"Well, he _does_ look like he might be about fifty," she said, looking quickly away. "Isn't that the age where men need those exams regularly?"

"There's nothing regular about this place," Suigin Tou stated, unsure whether to be relieved or disappointed when the man somehow squirmed out of his bonds, darted through the nearest students, and vanished into an escape tunnel. Where the sand came from that whumphed down into a dune which sealed the door behind him, she had no idea.

"In any case, which one is Shinku?" Megu asked, looking at the students and expanding the lens so she could inspect more of them at once. "There are many girls with blonde hair. And I don't see Jun, either; have you spotted him yet?"

"Neither one of them is there," Suigin Tou answered.

Megu blinked. "Not there? But... why not?" She looked back at the disheveled main building. "You don't suppose they got knocked out in the early fighting, do you?"

Suigin Tou snorted. "Considering that the first and only time I spied on Shinku here it was also a Hawaii and Havoc Appreciation Day, and she was the one who shattered the teachers' defense, I can say: 'Not very likely'."

"Then where are they? I wanted to finally put a face to her name," Megu complained.

"Who knows?" Suigin Tou hesitated, took a deep breath, then said, "She probably decided to abandon the battle. You know, old habits and all that." She felt noticeably lighter after getting the words out. _'If I can make jokes about it, then I'm definitely almost all the way better.'_

"Suigin Tou..." Megu said disappointedly. "I thought you were done making bitter remarks whenever someone brought her up."

"What? You... I... But... Not..." The First Doll closed her eyes. _'I hate this place.'_

She opened them again to see Megu drifting away, slowly enough that she didn't think her medium was aware of it. "Megu, where are you going?"

Megu stopped, blinked, looked thoughtful, then said, "I think we should go down there and look around for them."

Suigin Tou's jaw dropped, but she couldn't find words just yet. Seizing the opportunity, Megu continued, "Like I said, after hearing so much about her I want to finally meet Shinku. And it would be nice to say hello to Jun as well, to say 'thank you' for the things he showed me, and tell him I'm putting my power to good use."

"Absolutely NOT!" Suigin Tou declared. "We aren't even all the way to Nerima yet, and you're already forgetting the conditions we agreed on? That school is definitely not in Amazon territory!"

"But we only decided on that because we didn't want to run into Happosai," Megu replied. "And they've already had their craziness for the day at Furinkan. I'm sure we'd be safe."

"I said 'no', and I meant it," Suigin Tou declared. "Now, we can either explore the Amazon Quarter _like we agreed_, or we can go back home. Your choice, Megu."

Her medium gave an annoyed huff. "Fine." She made a ninety-degree turn and glided swiftly away, heading for the subtle boundary that set their destination apart from greater Nerima.

They flew in silence for twenty minutes, touching down at last on a rooftop a few blocks inside the Quarter. "Do you have anywhere particular in mind to go?" Suigin Tou asked.

"I'm not sure..." Megu was silent for a few moments, then said, "Why didn't you want to stop at the school?"

"Why are you still belaboring this point?!" the First Doll snapped.

"Because it doesn't make sense to me!" Megu snapped right back. "Because I don't understand why you were so reluctant to go there, and I _want_ to understand! I'm beginning to feel like Happosai isn't even the issue, more like he's just a convenient excuse!"

"URK!" Suigin Tou flinched visibly, then gave a shaky laugh. "Th-That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard you say!"

"Is that right," Megu said.

"Yes! Of course it... it is..." The First Doll stared into her medium's unyielding eyes, and sagged. "I've been to Nerima three times, you know," she murmured. "And I've sent Mei Mei on eleven surveillance runs. The only reason I'm here today is because you just... won't... _listen_ when I tell you this is no place for us."

Megu sighed. "Fine. If you can explain why, then we'll leave." Just as Suigin Tou began to brighten, she added, "And I'll wait until the next time you're away to come back."

Suigin Tou growled something unpleasant in German, then said, "I'm not leaving you here alone. Let's just get moving." Putting action to words, she flew down to street level.

Megu joined her, and they proceeded quietly for a few minutes, the girl walking, the Maiden floating along beside her. They received a few curious glances from other pedestrians, but no-one stopped them or said anything.

"I'd still like to hear your reasons," Megu said as they reached an intersection and turned onto a larger street.

The First Doll sighed. "Is it so hard to understand? So hard to see why I don't want to be here? Think about my life. I was the second strongest of the Rozen Maiden dolls. Humans were quaint little creatures with brief lives and briefer perspectives, and the only power they had worth noticing was that they could build things which lasted longer than they did. Compared to me... well, really, there was no comparison at all. As Father's workmanship, only my sisters could hope to approach me in either strength or beauty.

"Now, obviously that was wrong," she continued quickly, lest Megu interrupt. "But it was a reasonable enough mistake, I think."

"I wasn't arguing," Megu said with a smile, "...Angel-san."

Suigin Tou managed a faint smile of her own. "So after hundreds of years of waking and dreaming in such ignorance, all of a sudden I find a place like this. Young teenagers, young adults, centenarians who apparently think they're still young... all sorts of people stronger than I'd ever dreamed humans could be. Some who overshadow me like a redwood with a rosebush." She paused for a moment, then said in a near-whisper, "I'm not used to feeling small and vulnerable, Megu."

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" Megu asked, compassion evident in her face and her voice.

Suigin Tou shrugged and looked away. "What good would it have done? Convince you not to bring me along when you visited? That's a thousand times worse! I'm at least powerful enough to face most of the dangers here head-on, but you... almost anything would be strong enough to crush you!"

"But I spent a whole day here and never met anything that wanted to," Megu countered. "And I met many people who were kind enough to help me, who wished me all the best. Even the girls who challenged me to duels took it back after they learned how new and inexperienced I was."

"Challenged you to...?" Two blazing spots of color had appeared on the First Doll's cheeks.

"Yes," Megu said patiently, "and listened and agreed when I explained why I wasn't ready. Suigin Tou... you've never really described what's happened during your visits here. I know you've gotten into plenty of trouble, but I'm beginning to suspect it happened because you charged in over and over with feathers flying. Have you ever tried just talking to people?"

She was surprised when the color fled her angel's face, leaving Suigin Tou nearly as pale as her hair. "Once or twice," the Maiden said. "...It didn't go very well. Violence might not work perfectly, but it at least gives me a situation I can deal with."

"Now I'm really curious," Megu confessed.

"Too bad. I'm not saying anything more about that debacle." Suigin Tou growled wordlessly for a moment, her cheeks shifting from pale to unusually pink. "The one good thing about today, is that with you here I won't get into something like that again."

"Are you _trying_ to torture me with curiosity?"

Suigin Tou grinned sharply. "Perhaps."

* * *

Another twenty minutes had brought them to their destination: the supposed 'ice palace' Megu had spotted from the air. "I'm a little disappointed," the girl confessed.

Suigin Tou arched an eyebrow. "That it's not made of enchanted ice, but rather glass tinted arctic blue?"

"Don't forget the vents where they deliberately release fumes from dry ice, so it looks like the building is steaming in the sun." Megu pouted. "I say if they're going to call themselves Yuki-Onna's Icebox, they ought to have some real magic backing that up."

"Frankly, I'm relieved," Suigin Tou countered. "It's a breath of fresh air, to find something as normal as over-the-top advertising." She looked away from Megu to read the billboard beside the main entrance, which explained the nature and purpose of the facility.

"Hm. I guess I'm still a little curious about what kind of place it is," Megu said reluctantly. "Would you like to go inside?"

"Well, if we're going to, now is definitely the right time," Suigin Tou muttered.

"Pardon?"

Speaking loud enough to hear, the First Doll said, "We can if you want. According to this sign, it looks like a strange mix of teenage hangout and training facility."

"Actually, training facilities here _are_ teenage hangouts," Megu interjected.

"Yes, well, apparently the upper floors are just the tip of the iceberg." Suigin Tou blinked, then grimaced. She hadn't even been aware of the pun until it slipped out. "There are seven underground layers, with twenty-three ice rinks of variable size. It says they can accommodate something as small as a one-on-one training session, or as large as a challenge match with a thousand spectators."

"A match... on an ice rink?" Megu asked. "Come to think of it, I suppose that would be very interesting. Mobility and stability are always critical, and this way they'd become a whole new challenge." She smiled at Suigin Tou. "At least for people who can't fly."

"Apparently you can even engage the service of instructors," Suigin Tou mused. "That might be worth looking into. If that sign means what I think it does by 'learn to channel cold chi', that could be very interesting. And satisfying." She grinned evilly, picturing a jolly snowman with a stovepipe hat, knobs of coal for eyes and a smile, a carrot for a nose, and suspiciously-familiar long golden hair poking out the back of the 'head'. _'Yes, ice would be a lot safer than fire.'_

"Should we go in, then?" Megu asked. "If you were interested in asking about lessons, now might be a good time. It's probably not very busy, since it's the middle of a schoolday."

"You're absolutely right," Suigin Tou agreed with a smile. "Let's go."

They ventured inside, located the front desk, and were informed that all the facility-employed instructors were booked solid for the next week. However, advised the receptionist, the first step in such lessons was to acclimate oneself by spending lots of time on the ice, and sub-rink four was currently set up for ice-skating, at a very reasonable price of fifteen hundred yen for the rest of the day.

And so, three winding corridors, two flights of stairs, and one sarcastic comment about needlessly-complicated building designs later, Maiden and medium found themselves in sub-rink four. Tables with chairs were scattered around the edges of the room, giving people somewhere to relax from skating. A snack bar filled one corner of the room, while the opposite corner held a skate-rental kiosk. The rink itself was the largest the Icebox had to offer, large enough that it could have contained three challenge matches at once.

Nothing like that was happening at the moment, of course. True to Megu's guess the room was sparsely occupied, with a few dozen young adults gliding peacefully along on the ice. Only one of the tables had someone seated at it, on the other side of the room from them in the corner not taken up by a business.

"Do you want to rent skates, Megu?" Suigin Tou asked, glancing dubiously at the prices displayed on the sign. "I can have Mei Mei borrow a pair from somewhere else, if you don't wish to spend any more money."

When her medium didn't answer she followed Megu's gaze, determining that the girl's attention had been caught by the occupied table. Seated there was a young man, young enough that he was probably skipping school to be present. His straight blue-black hair was cut to medium length, parted in the middle and carefully styled to give the impression of a no-nonsense guy, the kind who never worried about such frivolous things as hairstyle. His face was thin and angular, and his general build was slim and wiry rather than muscular. He wore spectacles, and behind them his eyes were closed in concentration. His hands rested palms-up on the table in front of him, and on top of them rested a longbow, glowing with a gentle blue-white radiance.

"I just realized something, Megu. There was no reason to come here; _I_ can't skate to acclimate myself to the ice. And with the state of my dreamworld I shouldn't need to anyway. Let's go."

With the ease of increasing practice, Megu ignored the irrational comment. "Suigin Tou, doesn't that boy look... familiar? I could swear I've seen him somewhere before."

"You probably glimpsed him on your last trip." The First Doll gritted her teeth, then forced herself to calmness. After all, with Megu at her side, things would be completely different. And it would undoubtedly be better to assure herself of that now, when the situation was as limited as this. She took a few deep breaths, then said, "Do you want to go say hello?"

"I don't know... he looks like he's busy meditating. I shouldn't disturb him."

"Nonsense!" Suigin Tou said, now fully committed to her course. "If he wanted privacy he wouldn't be in a place like this. Let's go."

She prodded her friend into motion, and set out leading the way. However, she kept one eye on her medium, and when she saw that Megu's curiosity had overcome her reluctance she slowed casually down, allowing the girl to pass her. By the time Megu reached the table the Maiden trailed her by several feet, and was positioned so as to be half-hidden behind her.

"Can I help you?" the boy inquired as Megu reached his side. His tone was polite enough, though he didn't open his eyes.

"I was wondering where I'd seen you. Or... a picture of you...?" Megu mused.

The boy released a quiet snort of amusement. "I'm guessing you don't watch much anime, then?"

"Anime...?" Megu's eyes widened as she made the connection. It had been about two weeks prior. A scene had caught her eye as she flipped through the channels, and she'd stopped to watch a few minutes of the program. She didn't even know the name of it, but now she at least knew why the boy in front of her looked familiar. "You really have your own show?" she asked. "Is it true you hunt monsters to keep ordinary people safe?"

Another, not-so-quiet snort. "No to both, I'm afraid. There's no such things as Hollows or Shinigami, and I'm not a hero. My family's archery techniques were developed for war, to be used against ordinary people. They made all that stuff for Bleach up out of whole cloth."

"I see. Or no, I guess I don't. Why would they do that?" Megu asked. "Your real story sounds more interesting than the normal anime plots."

This response was enough to finally earn the boy's full attention. The glow of the bow vanished, and he opened his eyes. "You must be new here—" He cut himself off with a quiet gasp, his eyes widening as he looked past Megu. "Suigin Tou?"

"I believe my friend asked you a question," the First Doll said coolly, staring back at him from half-lidded eyes. "Surely you aren't rude enough to ignore her?"

With some effort the boy tore his gaze away and back to Megu. "Please pardon my rudeness," he said, standing and bowing, his posture carefully chosen to include both girl and Maiden in the gesture. "I'm Uryu Ishikawa."

"Megu Kakizaki," she replied, returning the bow then frowning thoughtfully. That name didn't quite match what she thought she remembered. "Ishi... kawa? Not Ishida?"

Uryu smiled ruefully. "Apparently, under the applicable law, that change was the last tweak they needed to base a character on me without my permission or compensation."

"That doesn't seem fair," Megu protested.

He shrugged. "I know you're new here; I recognize your name. You haven't heard any of this yet, have you?" When Megu shook her head, he gestured to the chair to his left. "Please, sit down." When Megu complied, he stepped around to the other side of the table, picked up the chair to the right of his, and balanced it on the remaining chair in such a way that it formed a seat at just the right height for Suigin Tou, to Megu's left and directly across from his chair. After looking at it for a long, silent moment, the First Doll sat, at which point Uryu did as well.

"This all started many years ago, long before Nerima became the place it is today," he explained. "There have always been extraordinary people, and they've always come together in small groups. And that means they provide plenty of inspiration for manga artists and anime screenwriters who know about them." Uryu frowned. "From what I hear, originally the people who served as that inspiration were compensated as generously as possible. After all, nobody wants an offended super-human fighter trashing their place of business."

"I wouldn't think that has changed," Megu observed. "Did something else?"

"Yes. Today Nerima has a purpose." Uryu paused. "Have you heard that much, at least?"

"I have," Megu assured him. "To show the world what heights it's possible for people to reach if they really want to, and draw in those who do want that."

"Exactly. Anime and manga help with that goal," Uryu explained. "They soften people up, prepare them to learn such things truly are possible. On the other hand, sometimes a technique that was just the brainstorm of a normal artist will catch a martial artist's eye, and they'll work to develop it for real. And every now and then, we'll learn something even more important..." His voice had fallen to a near murmur with that last sentence, and his eyes were drifting away from the girl he was supposedly speaking to. Clearing his throat and dragging his gaze back to Megu, he said, "Since we benefit this much from the media, these days they get a large amount of slack in drawing on us for their inspiration."

"Hm. That sounds fair after all. What do you think, Suigin Tou?" Megu asked, wanting to draw her friend into the conversation.

"It sounds completely and utterly ridiculous," the First Doll said, her tone as lofty as she could manage. "The kind of nonsense that breeds in such a forsaken place as this."

With a chiming of bells that somehow managed to sound both incredulous and indignant, Mei Mei appeared out of nowhere. The nachtgeist bobbed in front of Suigin Tou for a moment, chiming louder and louder, then blurred into a circular course over the tabletop. Without warning a large block of mangas dropped from the plane of her motion, landing on the table with a loud **thunk**. The neat stacks were disarranged in the landing, many volumes falling to flop open... revealing various action scenes. Megu noted, with rising amusement, that the flashiest and most impressive ones were accompanied by careful research notes in the margin, written in what was unmistakably Suigin Tou's handwriting.

"Mei Mei, you _traitor!_" the Maiden snapped, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists.

Both Megu and Uryu laughed freely at the display, which didn't help much to calm her down. Uryu brought himself under control first. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about," he said. "Not here. As I said before, you're hardly alone in such pursuits."

Suigin Tou declined to comment or meet his gaze. Uryu looked down to the pile of mangas, scanning through them until a pleased smile spread across his face. Carefully he extracted the volume of Bleach from its stack. This action at least got Suigin Tou to look at him, even if it was with narrowed eyes. Forging bravely ahead, he opened the front cover, pulled out a pen, and signed his name along with a brief message.

"I didn't ask for that," Suigin Tou said coldly.

"I know," Uryu said, taking a deep breath. "But I will ask you to return the favor." Bending down and rummaging in the pack next to his chair, he pulled out a manga of his own.

Megu boggled as she stared at the cover illustration and the title. "Rozen... Maiden?" she gasped. She stared a moment longer, then turned her gaze to Suigin Tou.

The doll in question looked like she'd stuck her tongue in a light socket. Her hair was frazzled, her eyes were wider than should have been possible, and her jaw dangled like a broken window shade. Ragged feathers dropped lifelessly from her wings. Even her dress looked rumpled beyond belief, as if it had just emerged from the spin cycle of an avalanche.

"I have this one with me because it's my favorite volume," Uryu said earnestly, leaning forward and handing the book to Suigin Tou, "but I've read all the ones that have been released. The story of how you and your sisters began... the difficulties you've faced, the challenge in front of you now to find a new way forward, a new path to the future... I'm sure you've heard this already from other people, but your story really speaks to me."

Suigin Tou managed a strangled, abortive head-twitch, indicating that no, she _hadn't_ heard that before.

"I mentioned that my family's archery techniques were designed for war. We were the artillery long before Japan's battlefields saw gunpowder," Uryu continued. "The techniques are lethal, designed to kill large groups with a single arrow. It's been centuries since they were used; only family honor has kept us practicing them and passing them down to the next generation.

"But with the changes that are happening in this place, I'm determined to change things too. I'm training like I never have before, to adapt my family's knowledge in ways that win fights _without_ killing. That's actually why I'm here today," he explained. "For my next lesson in manipulating the chi of ice. I had no idea I'd see you again, Suigin Tou..."

"Ishikawa-san!"

The cold, clipped exclamation rang through the air. In unwilling reflex Megu whipped her head away from the drama in front of her, spotting the approach of a tall, slim girl a year or so older than her. The girl was clad in a light blue pantsuit. A staff with many joined loops at the end, which Megu failed to recognize as a rugbeater, was slung along her back. Her long, brown hair was arranged in a ponytail, and her eyes were icy enough to make a shiver run up Megu's spine.

"Ah, Natsume," Uryu said, jumping and looking surprised. "Why are you here so early? It's still..." His voice trailed off as he glanced at his watch.

"Still fifteen seconds until our lesson officially begins?" Natsume asked frostily.

"My apologies; I lost track of time." Uryu hesitated, then said, "Would it be possible not to start it just yet? Perhaps we could wait a quarter of an hour?"

"Certainly it would be possible not to have it now," Natsume said, her tone no warmer. "If you no longer wish for me to be your sensei."

Uryu grimaced and got quickly to his feet. "No, Tendo-san, I said nothing about throwing away my training," he replied, his voice now cold and tight as well. He gathered his belongings and strode quickly away toward the nearest door.

Megu stared in bemusement as the newcomer turned to watch him, her expression and posture shifting as dramatically as a collapsing iceberg once he could no longer see her. Gone were the rigid control and any hint of cold; instead, Natsume just looked sad and helpless.

Then she turned back to regard the girls still seated at Uryu's table, her expression shifting again. Her glare now could have put a polar storm to shame. Suigin Tou—frazzled, barely aware of the world around her, not even looking at Natsume but instead flipping through Uryu's manga—flinched badly enough to drop both the volume and a new cloud of feathers.

For her part, Megu fell right off her chair.

Fortunately, Natsume left it at that, turning on her heel and striding away after Uryu. Maiden and medium watched her leave in silence.

This was broken at last by Suigin Tou, who released a long, quivering sigh then said plaintively, "I want to go home, Megu."

"Then let's go," Megu said gently. "Oh! But first we should take that book to the front desk, so someone can return it to Ishikawa-san."

"That... book?" Suigin Tou's eyes drifted down to the manga volume, resting on the table before her. She picked it up again and stared at it, her dazed, distressed expression shifting into something darker. "Shinku..." She drew the word out in a long, low growl.

"What about Shinku?" Megu asked, blinking.

"Who do you think is responsible for this... this..." Words apparently failing her, she settled on saying, "For _this?!_" letting her tone express her outrage.

Megu took the volume from her hands and began flipping through it. "Come now, Suigin Tou," she said absently. "Weren't you listening to Ishikawa-san? He had no input at all in the series that included his character."

"Which one of us wasn't listening?" Suigin Tou retorted. " 'The story of how you and your sisters began... the difficulties you've faced, the challenge in front of you now to find a new way forward...' And the little I could bring myself to read through in that book is completely true! It has to be Shinku's doing!" Megu opened her mouth to reply, but the Rozen Maiden overrode her. "Who else _could_ it have been? She's the one who turned her back on Father's will, for a mortal life! She's the one who so willingly embraced Nerima and everything that comes with it!" She seethed quietly for a moment, then said, "As soon as I manage to forgive her for one thing, she moves on to a new outrage! What right did she think she had, to tell this story without asking everyone else?! If she likes being human so much, let's see how she enjoys a month in a full-body cast!!"

Megu carefully closed the manga and removed her finger from the page it had been marking, which listed the authors as 'Mitsu Kusabue' and someone known only as 'Kanaria', with source credit given to 'Pizzicato', 'Holie', 'Lenpika', and 'Mei Mei'. _'From everything I've heard, Shinku can take care of herself. But I'd better buy Kanaria as much time as I can, to let Suigin Tou calm down.'_ Aloud, she said, "I see. For now, though, I think you were right—let's go home."

Suigin Tou nodded emphatically and darted into the air, pausing for a wing-swipe at her seat which had been so carefully arranged by Uryu. Megu noted, with some relief, that the blow merely knocked the top chair off and back to its original place at the table, rather than reducing the furniture to smithereens. _'Suigin Tou, you're kinder than even you realize,'_ she mused as she followed the First Doll toward the door they'd come in through. _'If that manga tells your story well enough for people to see what you're really like, it's not surprising that Uryu wants to know you better.'_ She blinked as that thought sparked another. _'In fact—'_

"Rozen Maiden-san?" The call came from behind just as they were about to exit from the room, shaking Megu from her thoughts. She noticed Suigin Tou stiffen as if about to blaze ahead at full speed, then blink, relax, and turn to face the girl who had called. Megu followed suit, coming around to see a group of teenage girls hurrying across the room, heading from a door on the left side toward another on the right. The leader was one of the more outlandish figures Megu had seen so far, with her hair bleached white and threaded with a rainbow of tiny beads, and her clothes much the same—white cloth liberally encrusted with multicolored glittering sparkles. The word 'stardust' was written in basic black across her top, providing a bit of relief from the glare as long as the viewer didn't think about where he or she was staring.

"You're going the wrong way," the nameless girl continued as her group drew even with Megu and Suigin Tou. "Come on, we don't want to be late!"

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand you," the First Doll said, more politely than Megu had expected. "We're on our way home, and this door is the way out. Where did you think we were going?"

The glittering girl just stared at her. It fell to one of her friends to say, "Don't you want to see the rematch between Mousse and Jun Sakurada?"

"What?" Suigin Tou replied. "Sakurada is _here_?"

"And Mousse?" Megu interjected, half excited, half astonished. "We are talking about the Master of Hidden Weapons and not some other Mousse, right?"

"Yes, and the fight will be starting any minute now!" exclaimed the prismatic princess.

"Actually it's another twenty minutes," offered a girl in the back of the pack, who at least _looked_ more sensible than her leader. "Dawn, would it kill you to wear a watch?"

"You know I only believe in sundials." Dawn tossed her head indignantly, then continued, "Well... we should still hurry, so we can get good seats. We skipped class for this, after all." The group began walking again, though at a less frantic pace than before. Suigin Tou and Megu moved automatically to follow them.

"I suppose Shinku did as well?" Suigin Tou asked, trying to sound casual rather than menacing. "Skipped class to watch the fight, I mean."

"You have to ask?" retorted one of the girls with a snort. "Of course she did."

Suigin Tou grinned darkly. "Excellent."

Megu shook her head as they filed out the appropriate door and headed down more stairs. _'I hope this place has good insurance.'_

Behind them the various mangas lay forgotten on the table... until Mei Mei buzzed around and returned them to storage in the N-field.

* * *

Author's Notes

This plus what makes up the final two chapters were originally outlined as one piece. However, I realized at this point that it was going to be way too much for one chapter. Tune in next time when Shinku finally gets to appear on the stage!

The Pokemon information that appears in this chapter is courtesy of www(dot)serebii(dot)net. Regarding the issue of immunity (or at least, extreme resistance) to normal damange among the Rozen Maidens, we need _some_ kind of explanation as to how they've made it through the centuries without their clothes wearing out. Of course we know from the original series that Shinku and Kanaria are capable of mending damage with their power, and for the purposes of this fic I assumed that all the dolls could, so this explanation wasn't absolutely necessary. But I decided to go with it anyway, since it gives me a reason for Suigin Tou to feel more justified in living apart from the other dolls and looking down on them for staying together.

Those familiar with Ranma ½ might have noticed that Furinkan High school seems to have had a few extra floors tacked onto it since that series. This, of course, is because of its new status as the recipient of all the special students that can be rounded up. And yes, Kodachi is now employed there—she teaches chemistry.

As was indicated in the body of the fic, the character Uryu Ishida is from the series Bleach, whose characters and concepts are owned by Tite Kubo, Shueisha, Studio Pierrot, and Viz Media. To anyone who thought this chapter was meant to indicate Uryu is the real problem Suigin Tou has in dealing with Nerima... you ain't seen nothin' yet.


	6. Chapter 6

Megu and Suigin Tou's Excellent Adventures

A Rozen Maiden fanfic by Aondehafka

Disclaimer: the characters and concepts of Rozen Maiden are owned by Peach Pit, not me. This story is based on the anime, not the manga.

* * *

Chapter 6: Winter Rose

* * *

_'You'd think more than one flight of stairs would be needed to get from sub-rink four to sixteen,'_ Megu thought.

True though it was, the notion failed to accomplish its intended purpose of distracting her. She remained painfully aware of Suigin Tou, trailing along beside her with an expression of grim foreboding. _'She's really upset,'_ Megu thought sadly. _'Kanaria, why couldn't you have asked before doing something like that? And why didn't your medium talk some sense into you?'_

Such concerns were unimportant now, she reminded herself, noting that Suigin Tou's hand was clenching and unclenching in a fist. That was a bad enough sign, but a moment later Megu spotted a worse one: the faintest hint of blue flames had begun to dance among the First Doll's feathers. _'This is going from bad to worse,'_ she thought with rising fear. Judging from the chatter of the girls they were following, this match was bound to have plenty of spectators. And given what she'd heard about Shinku's abilities, plus what she'd seen in Uryu's manga, if the Maidens got in a no-holds-barred fight that could all too easily mean plenty of collateral damage. _'I need to calm her down. How can I distract her from this? Come on, think!'_

An idea popped into her mind. "Suigin Tou? Were you really there to see World War II?"

This at least brought the Maiden's focus onto her. "What? Where did that come from?"

"It's what I thought I saw when I was flipping through... the manga..." Megu grimaced, realizing that her 'distraction' could have used a little more planning. Forging quickly ahead, she continued, "I realized I've never taken advantage of the perspective you have, from living so long and seeing so many times and places. Can you tell me more?"

"Certainly I can," Suigin Tou replied sharply, as the girls rounded one last bend in the corridor and came within sight of a door marked 'Sub-Rink Sixteen'. "Ask me again when you really want to know, and aren't just trying to distract me."

Megu's shoulders sagged. "I just wanted to help you get a little less angry," she said.

"There's a time and a place for letting go of anger, and a time and place for indulging it to the fullest," the First Doll growled.

"Um. What if the time is right but the place isn't?"

Suigin Tou didn't reply. The girls ahead of them were now passing through the door. The Maiden darted forward hard on their heels, flying a little way into the room before stopping and looking around, presumably searching for her sister. Megu hurried after, wracking her brains for a distraction that would actually work. _'If I could somehow get into trouble, I'm sure she'd come to my rescue... but what kind of trouble could I manage that wouldn't lead to a fight anyway?'_

She looked desperately around, scrambling for inspiration. This room was like the last in that it had a central rink surrounded by places to sit, but that was the extent of the similarities. Where their first stop had been flat as a plate, this enclosure was shaped like a shallow terraced bowl. The ice itself was eight feet lower than the area which encompassed it, and Megu could see doors in the eight-foot wall which opened directly onto the rink. The rest of the room was taken up by rows of seats, each of which rose a dozen inches higher than the last.

Despite what the other girls' chatter had led her to expect, there were far more seats than there were spectators present. The topmost four rows were completely empty. Curiously enough, so was the row that lay closest to the rink. Megu noticed that it was separated from the others by a thick purple velvet cord.

So far she wasn't seeing anything that could help her. _'Is there anyone here I know?'_ she thought, focusing on those people who were already present. A quick scan didn't reveal anyone she recognized. However, she was able to relax a little as she realized Shinku was nowhere to be seen yet... and as she took note of the demographics of the crowd, she finally had the beginnings of an idea.

The group of girls they'd come in with was the single largest cluster of females in the room. There were others scattered around in groups of two or three, but they were far outnumbered by the male contingent. It made sense, though, Megu supposed. Inexperienced though she might be, she certainly knew which gender was more likely than the other to ditch class in order to watch a fight.

A hiss of in-drawn breath from the doll next to her brought Megu back to immediate concerns. She quickly scanned the room again, breathing a sigh of relief when she still found no sign of any blonde-haired, blue-eyed girls. However, she saw that people on the far side of the room were now looking her way, and some, all of them boys Uryu's age or younger, had already left their seats and begun making their way around the room, broad smiles and hopeful looks on their faces. As they did so their passage triggered the notice of others, many of whom left their seats in turn.

The wave quickly spread to include half the people in the room, much to Megu's surprise and discomfort. _'Okay, it's true I was thinking about trying to provoke something like this to distract Suigin Tou,'_ she thought, doing her best not to panic as the ripple of approaching interest neared her. _'But I never thought they'd react so strongly just to seeing me! It wasn't nearly this bad last time! Although... I suppose 'bad' isn't really the right word...'_ Though she felt a little insulted by the age demographic of the approaching crowd. Only two or three of the young adults had left their seats; all the rest were people who were skipping high school—or even junior high!—to be present. The interest she'd experienced during her last visit was one thing, but she hadn't had a clue until now that so many Nerima boys had such enthusiasm for older women.

As the ends of the wave met at the seats directly in front of her and the people there turned to look behind them, she summoned up her courage. _'Be kind, be pleasant, don't show fear or let them overwhelm you. Let Suigin Tou see that I could use her help in dealing with this but I don't need her to actually start throwing attacks.'_ Taking a deep breath, Megu strode forward as confidently as she could to meet the approaching adolescent tide.

When it surged right past her, that confidence was replaced abruptly by disbelief.

"Suigin Tou! I knew you didn't mean it when you said you were never coming back!"

"Don't be an idiot, Toshi, she's not here to waste her time on—"

"Maiden-chan, after this match is over, would you please—"

"—don't want to bother with these weaklings. Let me—"

"—to my place and sign my copies of—"

"—so selfish, you loser! Suigin Tou, if you'll come with _me_—"

"—remember me from last time... you know I'm not like the—"

"—found a place with the most beautiful black roses you—"

"—get my uncle to make a copper-wire sculpture of you! He—"

"—started learning the Air style; someday I'll be able to fly with—"

"—cousin's girlfriend's aunt is psychic... we might be able to contact—"

"—happy just to create something so beautiful, and I'd be happy to—"

"I'M NOT DEALING WITH THIS TODAY!!"

Just before the crowd could enclose her, Suigin Tou moved. The echoes of her shriek were still resounding as she zipped backward to the doorway. An instant later her wings were spread wider than Megu had ever seen, extending thirty feet in either direction and eight feet broad at their thickest points. The menacing pose was enough to bring the crowd to a jostling halt, though the hopeful yearning looks on their faces and the tension in their postures made Megu suspect the standoff wouldn't last long.

She was correct. A moment later the crowd began falling like scythed wheat, boys collapsing left and right. Megu heaved a sigh of relief, followed immediately afterward by a surprised double-take. Not only were the boys not being knocked out by flying feathers, or indeed by _any_ visible attack, from the expression on Suigin Tou's face whatever was felling them was hidden from her as well.

"Tch! What a show-off."

The disgusted comment came from behind Megu. She turned just in time to catch a glimpse of an older guy, one who unlike the crowd had not hurried in his approach. That changed in an instant as he blurred past her, moving fast enough that her hair whipped about in a momentary breeze. He reached the part of the crowd that hadn't yet been affected by the invisible assault and launched his own attacks, his hands striking quick, precise blows to the back of the neck which knocked their targets instantly unconscious.

Between the unseen force and the visible assailant, the crowd was quickly reduced to a pile of slumbering bodies. The nameless boy walked a little closer to Suigin Tou, but stopped before he'd crossed a third of the distance she'd put between her and the horde. "I hope you didn't want to deal with them yourself," he said, offering a deep bow. "If it had been up to me I'd have waited a little longer before jumping in, to see if you really wanted that."

"You are so full of it, Kenji." The level of disgust in this comment dwarfed the last one Megu had overheard. She quickly looked around, but couldn't find whoever had spoken. For that matter, she couldn't even identify from which direction the voice sounded like it had come.

"I don't recall giving you permission to call me by my first name, _Holcroft-san_," Kenji snapped, looking fruitlessly around as well.

"I don't recall needing it. And if you crowd any closer to Suigin Tou, I'll put you to sleep as well."

The doll in question took that as her cue to speak up. "Thank you ever so much for the solicitude," she said sarcastically, "but one person 'crowding' me is less disconcerting than a voice out of nowhere."

"I'm sorry." There did seem to be genuine regret in the boy's tone. "I didn't think you would have any trouble sensing me. I'm over here." Megu blinked as the last sentence finally came from a discernable location—a seat clear on the opposite side of the room, from which a young man had just stood up. He waved at them, then his form shimmered and vanished, reappearing an instant later a few steps closer to Suigin Tou than Kenji was.

Megu looked at the newcomer with interest, comparing and contrasting him to the earlier arrival. There was nothing remarkable about Kenji's appearance. The closest he came were his clothes: black pants and brown shirt of mid-to-low quality with no frills whatsoever, loose-fitting to allow complete freedom of movement but with sleeves and pants-cuffs tight against his wrists and ankles. In other words, an outfit that would not mesh well in most of Tokyo but was perfectly acceptable for Nerima. His eyes were brown, his short-cut hair was black, and he was about the same height as Megu. She thought he was a bit more muscular than Uryu had been, but not by much.

However, it was clear at a glance that the mysterious 'Holcroft-san' came from somewhere far from the Home Islands. His eyes were green and his hair a curly ash-blonde, which brushed the air six feet above the ground. His pants and turtleneck sweater were of far higher quality than Kenji's. He was dressed much more warmly than most people in the rink, which piqued Megu's curiosity—after the abilities he'd already displayed, surely warding off a simple chill wasn't any difficulty?

Her curiosity deepened as she looked at his hands. They were as soft as her own... and although she had met many people in her previous visit to Nerima ward, that hadn't been true for anyone who could possibly be considered extraordinary. _'Akane warned me that some people might resent it, how I was given a chance at power which didn't take the kind of effort and sacrifice that's usually needed,'_ she remembered. _'I wonder if something like that happened to him as well?'_

Unaware or uncaring of Megu's scrutiny, the foreigner offered Suigin Tou an awkward bow. "My name is William Holcroft," he said. "And if you tell me to leave, I will. But—"

"Good," Kenji interrupted. "Then leave alr—"

William spared him an irritated glance, at which point sound ceased to escape from Kenji's still-moving lips. He turned back to Suigin Tou and continued, "But I would greatly appreciate the chance to become acquainted with you, Daughter of Rozen."

This, Megu noted, was enough to earn him the first non-hostile response she'd seen her angel offer to any male in Nerima. Suigin Tou drew a sharp breath and abandoned her back-against-the-wall position, shrinking her wings and flying closer to him. " 'Daughter of Rozen'? Do you know something about Father?"

"I'm afraid not," William answered regretfully, shaking his head. "At least, I don't know anything other than what I learned by reading your story... and now by seeing how beautiful his work really is..."

Megu stared in wonder at the sight before her. _'Is she... she is! She's actually blushing!'_

Kenji might have been rendered mute, but he clearly had not been deafened as well. His face was a far darker red than the delicate flush coloring Suigin Tou's cheeks. For that matter, even the air around him seemed to be taking on a reddish tinge. Megu recognized it as an expanding battle aura an instant before whatever William had done unraveled, allowing her to once again hear Kenji's tightly-controlled breaths. "Try that again and you'll be sorry," he growled.

"I'm already sorry," William retorted. "Sorry I didn't just teleport you twenty miles away."

"You Americans and your damned arrogance," Kenji spat. "Just because you stumbled onto a different set of disciplines. Esper powers, psionics, whatever! It's all just chi."

"One hundred and thirty years of learning might not stack up very well against three thousand, but we're well beyond 'stumbling' these days," William declared. He deliberately turned his back on Kenji and addressed Suigin Tou once more. "You don't seem amused by this posturing, so I'll stop now. Would you please honor me by sitting with me to watch the upcoming match?"

"Well, Suigin Tou, if you think there's even a chance you might want to, I guess you'd better take it." Kenji's voice was no friendlier, but it had gone from furious to controlled, with an edge he could have shaved with. "Opportunities like that... why, they'll be gone almost before you know it."

The First Doll cocked her head to one side, staring at him in confusion. Megu felt the same way. He couldn't possibly have sunk so far as to threaten Suigin Tou, could he? He wasn't even looking her way; his eyes were still riveted on William's back.

The young man in question stiffened, before slowly turning around again. "What... was... that?"

Kenji smirked nastily. "I thought she ought to know what's down the road, just a couple of steps for someone like her. You'll be lucky to last a measly seventy years longer... mayfly."

It was clear that Kenji had finally managed to get beneath his adversary's skin. William was trembling, his jaw clenched and his hands balled up into fists. "Are you sure you want to throw that in my face?" he snarled. "My powers may be useless for boosting my own health, but they're more than enough to flatten you!"

The red glow sprang back into life around Kenji, much brighter than before. The seething energy extended a good sixteen inches out from his body in all directions. "Not this time," the Japanese boy spat. "Your tricks can't reach through this. Keep it up and I'll smack you down here and now. Suigin Tou can have a nice warm-up demonstration of what kind of power and skill are _really_ worth having."

"I'd be glad to show her that," William retorted, his tone even darker than Kenji's. "And Koryu-san? Here's a demonstration for you, too—if I can touch all the space around your aura at once, then it's as inadequate as the rest of you!"

Before Megu's astonished eyes the entire scene before her shimmered, just like William's form in the moment after she first glimpsed it. And, like that moment, the shimmering figures were replaced by empty air.

The disappearance of the boys was no cause for concern, but that they'd taken Suigin Tou with them...

Just as Megu began sliding from 'astonished' to 'worried', the air in front of her wavered again. The effect was much smaller this time, since the only one being transported was a two-foot-tall, black-winged, usually-elegant doll. Suigin Tou's clothes were as beautiful as ever, but the tight, harried look on her face and the tension in her posture were a far cry from elegant. "How did you come back without a mirror or some other kind of portal?" Megu asked, letting out a relieved breath.

"I simply reversed... _whatever_ it was that he did to carry me from here to there," Suigin Tou said. The First Doll gave a grimace and a shiver, and her voice sank lower and lower as she continued. "It was... I think... I'm almost sure it was an N-field manipulation... but it was like nothing I've ever felt before... I almost wanted to stay and ask him how it was done..."

"Why didn't he follow you back?"

"Why do you think? I knocked both of them unconscious from behind once we arrived in that vacant lot."

"I see. You know, it would have been okay to stay and watch them fight over you," Megu gently teased.

"NO! No, it wouldn't!" Suigin Tou protested. Drawing a few ragged scraps of composure together, she looked around the room. "In any case, where the _hell_ is Shinku?"

"Still not here yet, I suppose. Probably she's waiting with Jun, giving him some pre-fight encouragement." Megu started as she took note of something across the room, missing the way her final words caused Suigin Tou to blanch. A door had just opened, admitting a new group of people—one of them a girl she recognized. "I see someone over there I know," she said. "Let's go ask her if she knows where Jun and Shinku might be."

"Fine with me!" Suigin Tou paused just long enough to determine where Megu was looking, then zipped briskly away. She chose to follow the wall of the room rather than sail across the empty air at its center, preferring not to draw more attention to herself.

The First Doll had passed three doors and covered two thirds of the distance to her target when the final portal ahead of her opened. This time there were two newcomers—a densely-muscled young man in his early twenties, and a boy with a strong family resemblence who stood waist-high to him and clutched at his hand. To Megu's eyes the kid looked ordinary enough, but his older brother's outfit made it clear that he was either a specialist or pretending to be one. He was dressed in clothing even heavier than William's had been, and he bore several bowling-ball-sized canvas-wrapped parcels on his back. He wore a double-crossed bandolier from which hung small cloth pouches, and a belt which held a few larger ones.

All in all, Megu thought it was a safe bet that he was the reason Suigin Tou had skidded to a stop, rather than his little brother.

In what was fast becoming a familiar response, the young man's eyes widened and a smile spread over his face. "Suigin T—"

"YEARRRGH!" the First Doll shrieked, sending a blitzkrieg of feathers his way. Megu quickly threw power forward in an invisible shield over the child, but realized an instant later that she needn't have bothered. Even in her distress, Suigin Tou had made sure that the entirety of her attack was focused on the intended target.

Fortunately for the target in question, Suigin Tou was a good ten feet away. He had plenty of time to dart forward, shielding his little brother with his body, and then to shield that body in turn with a defensive countermeasure. He swept one arm backward as a parcel on his back burst open, releasing glittering strands which gathered around his hand. Whipping them forward, he formed a tall, wide plane of what looked like clear glass, save that it didn't shatter or scar when Suigin Tou's feathers impacted against it. Rather, the projectiles sank into the material to be trapped there like insects in amber, migrating slowly away from the section receiving the attack toward untouched areas.

The young man just stood there and took the assault rather than launching any counterstrikes. Eventually, when the shield had swallowed as many feathers as it could, the remaining ones began to bounce harmlessly off rather than become trapped. Shortly after this Suigin Tou appeared to run out of steam. She relinquished the attack and hung there in midair, panting quietly and giving the young man a wary eye.

"I'm sorry if I startled you, Suigin Tou," he ventured after a few silent moments ticked past. When she didn't lash out his expression grew a little less worried. "Please, let me make it up to you."

The First Doll twitched but didn't launch another offensive... which was all the encouragement he needed. Reaching behind him, he drew more vitreous streamers into one hand. With his other he touched the shield in front of him, which sagged from its former shape into an amorphous puddle. He stared appraisingly at this for a moment, after which it suddenly expelled a number of the feathers trapped inside it. After this the puddle split in three, one glob just big enough to hold seven feathers, a mid-sized ball which retained the rest of them, and another free of any inclusions.

Now he brought the new streamers forward, gathering them on the ground before him into that clear mass. It rippled and rose up from the ground, rapidly gaining shape and definition. The larger feather-filled puddle flowed onto this shape, touching it but not quite joining with it, climbing upwards even as the main shape grew legs, reaching the shoulders just as the arms separated from the torso, splitting in two and flaring outward even as the fine details began to coalesce across the body. In a matter of moments, the statue perfectly mimicked Suigin Tou, save that its wings were formed of more than just feathers. There was actual vitreous 'tissue' there, holding the glass-frosted feathers perfectly in place in a pose more impressive than the real Maiden's resting state.

Save for the darkness of the wings, the statue was perfectly clear. However, the artisan wasn't finished yet. He stared down at the remaining free blob of glass with a look of fierce concentration. As Megu watched, the seven feathers within it blurred, then disintegrated, leaving nothing but spreading inky blackness which rendered the glass as dark as the deepest night.

The young man picked this up with one hand. With the other he gathered powders from the pouches slung along his chest and belt—indigo, lavender, a fistful of white, red, blue, even a hint of yellow and a pinch of green. He dropped them one after another into the statue, keeping the black glass separate for the moment. Under his piercing stare, the colors spread and mixed as if by magic. Once this was done he brought the final piece in to join the rest, and the statue of Suigin Tou was complete.

Megu stared at it in awe. True, none of the other colors were as vibrant as the black where it appeared on the Maiden's gown, shoes, and hairband, and it was also true that the image of Suigin Tou had her eyes closed and her hands folded in a more peaceful, happier expression than Megu had ever seen from her angel. But for all that, the work was beautiful enough to do justice to the one who'd pulled her from the chill grasp of death. "That's amazing," she breathed.

"It's my gift to you, Suigin Tou," the young man said. "I know it's not—"

"Big Brotherrr!" The whining screech cut through his soft tone like a buzzsaw through butter. All present jumped and whipped their eyes around to stare at the forgotten little boy. He was now standing in a pose of righteous indignation, with his nose crinkled, his lower lip sticking out, and his arms crossed over his scrawny chest. "The last time you made a statue that big, it sold for more than my allowance for a whole year! You can't just _give_ it to some spoiled little brat!"

Megu and Suigin Tou alike gaped at this. "Spoiled... little... brat...?" the First Doll echoed. If she was upset at the epithet, she didn't show it.

"Yeah! You're not even as big as I am! You don't need something like this! Hiro, just make her a pacifier or a blankie or somethmmmff!"

At the word 'blankie', Hiro broke free of his paralysis, darted over, and snaked a desperate arm around his sibling's shoulders. What looked like a flexible length of glittering cloth writhed its way out of his sleeve, forming a gag over the mouth of the tot in question. The boy pulled at it for a few moments after Hiro let go, achieving exactly nothing, then gave up and fixed his elder brother with a withering glare.

The expression went unnoticed, as Hiro was too busy giving Suigin Tou an apologetic look. "I'm really sorry about that. Younger siblings can be a pain, can't they?"

"Yes. Yes they can," the First Doll replied, seemingly in spite of herself. Megu even detected a faint, reluctant smile on her lips.

She coughed gently, then stepped forward. "Suigin Tou, would you introduce me?"

Judging by the way Suigin Tou started, Megu almost thought that she'd been forgotten entirely. "What? I, er, yes," the Maiden said. "Megu, this is Hiroto Kuppohari, heir to the school of Martial Arts Glassblowing. Glassblower-san, this is my medium, Megu Kakizaki."

"It's an honor to meet you, Kakizaki-san," Hiro said. Then returning his gaze to Suigin Tou and turning his smile up a few degrees, he continued, "And it's truly an honor to see you remembered my name. Please, you can use it if you like."

Suigin Tou twitched, but didn't otherwise acknowledge the invitation as she continued, "I'm not sure if you've read that infuriating manga which put my story out there for all the world to see," she twitched again when Hiro nodded, "or how much detail it gives. In any case, Megu is not just my medium. She's the best friend I've ever had, my beautiful, kind, gentle friend who spent seventeen years in a hospital and is now eager to learn about what life really can be. She was the one who wanted to come here today, not I. She has told me how kind and noble everyone here has been to her, and proved to me that her mind is made up—Nerima and its people are something she wants in her life. Now... perhaps you'd like to say something more to her than just 'it's an honor to meet you'?"

For the first time that day, a man turned his entire attention to Megu. "Kakizaki-san, it's obvious that Suigin Tou thinks highly of you," Hiro said, regarding her with a smile as bright as any he'd bestowed on Suigin Tou. "Would you consider doing me a great favor?"

"What favor would that be?" Megu asked, noting out of the corner of her eye that Suigin Tou finally seemed to be relaxing.

"Give me your blessing to date with her," Hiro said earnestly.

With a **thunk** that was nowhere near as loud as it should have been, the First Doll dropped facefirst to the ground below.

Megu allowed herself a smile. _'A swarm of fifty boys is one thing, but if she can't even handle one... well, that's simply not right. Time for a learning experience, Angel-san.'_ Aloud, she said, "Well, I don't know, Hiro-kun. Are you sure about that? As you've seen for yourself, she can be clumsy, short-tempered, unwilling to reveal what she's really thinking..."

"Strong enough to overcome a horribly painful beginning," he retorted, "courageous enough to set aside centuries of loneliness, kind enough to care again after caring earned her horrible pain... yes, Kakizaki-san, I'm quite certain."

"That's good to hear," Megu replied with a grin, resolutely ignoring the still-gagged child feigning nausea off to one side. "Well, then how could I say n—"

"MEGU, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Sugin Tou shrieked, pulling herself off the floor and into the air.

"I'm just answering the question you told him to ask me," Megu said as innocently as she could.

"But... but... you..." The Maiden released a shriek of frustration. "Can this day get _any_ worse?!" she demanded of the heavens.

"Suigin Tou." Hiro's voice came calm and steady, though a hint of tension was evident behind the words. When the Rozen Maiden turned to glare at him, he gestured to the statue. "Like I already said, this is a gift to you. If you don't want it, just smash it, and I'll leave you in peace."

The room couldn't truly be quiet, since it had many people carrying on their own conversations and paying no attention to the drama occurring off to one side. Nevertheless, it seemed to Megu, and to everyone nearby who was focused on said drama, that his words left a hushed stillness behind them. The First Doll regarded her likeness with a stare as intense as a searchlight, one wing twitching, twisting, alternately growing longer and shrinking back to its resting length...

...Then the impasse was broken as Suigin Tou tossed her head angrily. "Bah! Idiot!" she said, her nose in the air and her eyes closed. "How could I destroy it? It would be like I was breaking myself; you made it look exactly like me!"

"Actually, the wing structure is more like a bird's wing, not just a mass of feathers," Megu said helpfully. "And the face doesn't have those crinkles under the eyes that you have, Suigin Tou. And it's at least three inches taller than y—"

"Megu, you're NOT HELPING!"

"On the contrary," came an amused voice from off to one side. "I think she's being quite helpful indeed."

Suigin Tou jerked, then stiffened so dramatically that she seemed to be trying to outdo her crystalline likeness for rigidity. For her part Megu whirled around, her gaze finding and scrutinizing the newcomer.

The girl was shorter than her by about an inch. She wore a pale pink blouse and blue pants which fairly screamed 'quality', but the curves beneath them were noticeably less pronounced than Megu's. Her bust in particular was nothing like what might be expected from a blonde-haired, blue-eyed gaijin. Her hands were slim, delicate, and well-cared-for, but a glance was enough to reveal to Megu the faint calluses and battle-scars that were the norm for Nerima's power players. She wore her hair in a single golden braid which reached nearly to the floor, a queue broken at intervals by crimson ties which looked like twisted rose petals.

That last detail barely gave Megu enough confidence to hazard a guess. "Are you... Shinku?"

"I am." The girl opened her mouth to say more, but was cut off.

"Of course she is," Suigin Tou rasped. Her fists were clenched and trembling, and she hadn't yet turned to face her sister. Although Megu couldn't see any blue flames hiding in the shadow of her wings, the First Doll nonetheless emanated a sense of rising danger and dread. No longer feeling even the least bit playful, Megu stepped carefully to one side. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Mei Mei zip around the statue, which disappeared to safety along with the nachtgeist.

Suigin Tou, who had been staring directly at this sight, didn't react at all. "How could it _not_ be Shinku?" she continued. "How could she possibly not turn up at just the wrong moment?"

Then she whirled around, her face splitting with an unholy grin. "Except it wasn't the wrong moment at all. Not when I've got this much frustration to work out!" With no more warning than that, the First Doll launched a storm of feathers that dwarfed her earlier attack on Hiroto.

It would be weeks before Megu understood what happened next.

Suigin Tou's offensive was a typhoon of power, an overwhelming force aimed just carefully enough not to hit anyone other than Shinku. Any thought that the First Doll might be paying attention to the paths of individual feathers would have been ridiculous, even ludicrous.

Thus, when Shinku launched a counterstorm of crimson rose petals, an attack fully as powerful as her elder sister's _and each petal aimed precisely enough to knock one feather to the ground_, the First Doll was shocked into utter immobility.

It was all the opening Shinku needed. She smiled and launched another wave, this time sending petals streaming from both hands. By far the largest concentration of petals came from her right hand, and instead of being red they were now white. Her left sprayed a comparatively tiny portion of the old, familiar crimson petals.

In three heartbeats, it was done. The petals coated Suigin Tou's wings and gown, obscuring their true forms entirely. Her wings now appeared as white and fluffy as an angel's from the sappiest greeting card imaginable, while her dress and legs were shrouded in the guise of a white robe. The reason for the crimson petals was made apparent there... they formed two big hearts on the bodice of the robe, along with the word 'Cupid' written underneath.

Suigin Tou stared in horror at her new outfit, then sank to the floor and collapsed. "Kill... me... now," she whispered.

"Ah... Shinku-san..." this was Megu, speaking through twitching lips. "While I admit I'm having a hard time not screaming for someone to lend me a camera..." She took a deep breath, and managed to force the smile away as she finished, "Don't you think that's a bit much?"

"No, I do not," the Maiden replied. "Surely it's allowed for me to tease my sister a little when I see a man flirting with her."

"Yes, but this teasing wasn't for just one m—"

"Megu, SHUT UP!" Suigin Tou shrieked.

"Not just one man?" Shinku asked with an arched eyebrow. "What do you..." Her voice trailed off as her gaze tracked in the direction Megu indicated, finally traveling far enough to notice the swath of unconscious boys. "Oh dear," she said with a sigh. "Hiroto, please excuse us." With no further ado, she walked over and picked Suigin Tou up by the scruff of the neck. The First Doll hung as limp in her grasp as Suisei Seki had once hung in Jun's, after the Gardener had been demoralized by her oldest sister. There might be some karmic lesson there, Shinku thought to herself, but contemplating it would have to wait.

"Come along, Megu," she said as she strode toward the roped-off row of seats closest to the rink. These were no longer empty; a girl with deep green hair was seated there on the far side of the room, opposite the point toward which Shinku headed. "You are technically Jun's apprentice, and Suigin Tou will be his sister-in-law. That entitles you to rinkside seats along with Lin Su and myself."

"Ah... all right," Megu replied, hurrying to catch up. _'Is she always this abrupt?'_ She reached the designated row a moment later, paused for a moment to wave to Mousse's wife, then turned back to regard Shinku. The sometime-Maiden was producing a new flood of crimson petals with the hand not holding Suigin Tou. These compacted into a cushion which she put onto the seat between her and Megu, then placed Suigin Tou on top of it. To Megu's growing alarm, her angel just sat apathetically through this.

She sat down next to Suigin Tou and began brushing the white petals off her. "You aren't using these things to control her, are you?" she asked, glancing suspiciously at Shinku.

"Of course not."

"Why would she need to do that?" the First Doll said bitterly. "All she had to do was slap down my attack like an adult with an unruly child." She turned to glare at Shinku. "I'm getting damnably tired of being overpowered by you."

"Well, you will have to learn to live with it," Shinku said evenly. "I've heard that you and Sousei Seki have met a few times to spar, in the hopes of growing stronger. That is a fine start, but it's nothing compared to the life I live. Nerima provides a place where I can fight without hurting anyone—and without the history that we sisters have, which makes it all but impossible to do that among ourselves."

"All but impossible?" Suigin Tou protested. "I haven't hurt Sousei Seki at all!"

Shinku stared evenly back at her. "You mean you haven't caused physical damage to her body."

"Tch! Whatever," Suigin Tou said angrily, looking away. "I suppose it's no surprise, that you also would have me give myself to this place."

"I am merely saying that if you do not, you haven't a hope of catching up to me," Shinku replied. "As you are now, even Jun could defeat you."

Suigin Tou's jaw was still dangling in shock when the doors in the rink opened to admit two figures onto the ice. Megu's attention shifted back and forth between the two. Mousse, the Master of Hidden Weapons, stood tall and proud, his eyes hidden behind incredibly thick glasses and his form covered by a long white robe over black pants. Instead of skates he wore modified snowshoes, fitted with small metal spikes to allow him to walk normally on the ice.

Across from him, wearing traditional skates and eyeing his opponent's footwear unhappily, was Jun Sakurada. He wore glasses as well, though his eyes could be seen behind them. He stood a few inches taller than his Amazon adversary, and wore clothes that rivaled Shinku's for quality. Certainly they were finer than anything Megu had seen anyone wear to a fight.

The room fell silent. The two young men bowed to each other, and the battle was on.

* * *

Jun settled into a ready stance, watching Mousse carefully and waiting for him to make the first move. The Master of Hidden Weapons obliged, circling a few steps to one side then quickly lashing out with a yo-yo that was five times regulation size. Jun dodged with an unnecessarily flashy move, his skates kicking up a fine spray of ice crystals. His dodge took him out of the yo-yo's path by a good three feet. As it whistled past on his left he lashed out with his hand, around which Megu could just make out a distortion of summoned power. His hand didn't reach the yo-yo string, but the cord snapped anyway.

Mousse cursed and charged, pulling out a long staff as he came. Jun skated forward to meet him. Wood and flesh collided as Jun intercepted the incoming staff with the edge of his hand, stealing the force of the strike and translating it into a harmless speed increase for him. He spun in a tight curve, kicking up another spray of crystals, and came around behind Mousse faster than the boy could turn on his snowshoes.

Mousse's choice of footwear had one serious advantage, however—the tradeoff in mobility for stability made it easy for him to jump. And jump he did, leaving the ground as soon as he recognized his opponent's tactic. The medium-power strike Jun launched toward Mousse's back impacted instead on his leg, and as Mousse was airborne it did no damage at all. In fact, it was his turn to steal momentum and direction from his adversary's attack, letting the blow spin him down toward Jun. As he approached one hundred eighty degrees of inversion, his staff lashed out for Jun's shoulder.

The younger boy grimaced and simply took the hit, which landed with force enough to catapult Mousse twenty feet into the air. This time the flicker of Jun's power was much more obvious to Megu's eyes, and she assumed—correctly—that he'd used it to keep himself from suffering any damage. _'He's certainly more impressive than the last time I saw him. But if he could shrug off any number of strikes, he wouldn't be fighting like this,'_ she thought, watching as Jun failed to rush forward toward Mousse's landing site. _'He's bound to have more strength than me, but how much more? Is it even possible to cancel a blow as powerful as that without burning a lot of your own power?'_

Those questions were nothing compared to her curiosity about Mousse's actions so far. _'I watched him win two challenge matches,'_ she thought as Mousse descended from his flight, spreading his arms and somehow using the billowing of his sleeves to slow his progress over the last five feet to a leisurely glide. As he touched down, Jun began skating around the Chinese man in a circle. Mousse returned the staff to who-knew-where and sank down into a tight, focused stance. He didn't try to match his opponent's rotation, but rather kept stable while following Jun's path with his eyes for as much of the arc as he could. Apparently he was content to watch until his opponent changed tactics, which was more than Megu could fathom. _'This is nothing like what he did then! Those boys' fighting styles had nothing in common with each other, but he approached them the same way. Why not now? Why isn't he launching a hundred weights on chains, to try and snare Jun? Is he just going easy on him? He only threw that one yo-yo at the very beginning of the match...'_

Then she blinked, as a new question occurred to her. "And where is that yo-yo, anyway?" she wondered aloud.

"Where indeed," Shinku commented, with a hint of smugness.

Megu blinked, then turned to face the shorter girl. "What do you mean?"

A gasp from Suigin Tou pulled her attention back to the rink. On the ice, Jun still zipped around Mousse in the same circular path... but a second copy of him was present as well, skating directly toward Mousse from behind.

Mousse didn't turn around, or even shift his footing. He simply produced his staff once more and jabbed it behind him, at the exact moment when the approaching Jun closed within striking distance. The image rippled and dispersed, revealing a tight-woven distortion of power that had been hidden inside the façade.

An instant later this dispersed as well—but it did so with an explosive bang that lifted Mousse clear off his feet and flung him through the air. He barely managed to control his flight enough to land on his feet rather than his face. That measure of recovery took all his attention, and as such he was completely unprepared when the real Jun smashed into him an instant later, getting in three good hits which knocked Mousse off his feet once more.

This time he didn't try to land on them. He twisted in midair, his hands disappearing briefly inside his robes, then reappearing covered in heavy gloves. Like the snowshoes, these apparently provided more than enough traction against the ice, as Mousse was able to turn his tumble into a controlled handspring. This brought him to his feet and back on the attack just a bit quicker than Jun was prepared for. The Japanese boy barely managed to deflect Mousse's full-strength punch, turning the force into motion as he zipped away on his skates.

Mousse didn't push the attack. "Nicely done," he said. "I figured you were just hoping I wouldn't sense your copy. I never expected it would blow up in my face like that, such a powerful explosion and yet it didn't damage the rink at all. A very nice revision of the Splitting Cat Hairs, Sakurada."

"Thanks," Jun said, gliding slowly back and forth twenty feet away from his opponent. "Shinku and I worked hard on that one." He grinned. "By the way, she'd want me to tell you the move should now be called Splitting _Golden_ Hairs."

Mousse snorted. "And I know a few people who'd tell her she's about a hundred years too early to be renaming Amazon techniques."

* * *

"He's right, you know," Suigin Tou pronounced. "By the time you earn a right like that, you'll have worn that body down to a shriveled shadow with only the _memory_ of golden hair."

"Not before I'm tiny, wrinkled, and white-haired, you say?" her sister countered. "Well then, Suigin Tou, perhaps you could do it instead, so I don't have to wait."

* * *

Back on the ice, Jun had failed to come up with a retort cleverer than "Mm." He was skating faster now, and his pace was still increasing. With a twist he transformed his path from a simple loop to a figure eight, and then again to a four-leafed clover. An afterimage peeled away from him, following in his wake, then another and another. The Juns then shifted course again, maintaining their formation, but now the cloverleaf was moving slowly around on the ice.

Mousse opted not to wait until his opponent launched an attack. The Chinese man suddenly whipped one hand forward, producing a thick chain out of his sleeve. It coiled and struck as if it were alive, sundering two images of Jun before encountering the real one. Jun grinned and intercepted it with one hand, around which Megu could make out the same kind of distortion that had been there when he dealt with the yo-yo. It was much stronger this time. That wasn't the only difference, either—the yo-yo's string had parted effortlessly, but the chain merely gave off a few sparks at the point of contact, continuing unimpeded to wrap around the shocked Sakurada. With a grin of his own Mousse whipped him into the air.

"WaaAAuuUUUggHH!" Jun's cry dopplered around the room as he swung in dizzying circles, twisting and contorting to try and slip free. His efforts were fruitless. Mousse kept the chain and its passenger spinning for thirty seconds, an interval which felt much longer to the breathless audience and his hapless opponent. At last he graciously released the tension on the chain, allowing Jun to slip free and drop bonelessly to the ice below. The Sakurada boy caught himself at the last moment and managed a shaky landing on his feet. The ring on his finger blazed with momentary brilliance, returning color to his face and steadiness to his posture as Mousse pulled the chain all the way back into his sleeve.

Mousse just smiled and began circling his opponent, each pass bringing him a little closer to Jun. "I thought so. You can't do anything to a weapon if I focus that much chi into it."

Jun took one last deep breath, then returned a smile of his own as he began skating a course to match Mousse's. "I wouldn't say that..."

"Oh, no?"

"No. If I try really hard, I might manage to hide something inside one of the links." With no more warning than that, Jun dug his skates into the ice and blazed toward Mousse.

The Amazon froze for a split second, then raced backward and to the side as his hands disappeared inside his robes.

If he'd been carrying only one chain, he might have been fast enough. But the Master of Hidden Weapons had more than a hundred of them up his sleeves, and while he could bring any or all to hand in an instant, he couldn't pick out one that was no different from the rest except having been most recently used.

Jun's sneak attack detonated bare heartbeats later. A ripple of energy distorted the chi warp that held the Amazon's massive stores of weaponry and other supplies. His robes tore in a thousand places as swords, spears, flails, chains, chairs, changes of clothing, spare pairs of glasses, and countless other items exploded outward, littering the ice with enough items to supply a small pawn shop.

Mousse blurted something in Mandarin that had three of the four rinkside girls jumping in their seats. Megu, who didn't speak that language, just watched in ever-increasing puzzlement as he scrambled desperately to grab items and return them to storage. His speed eclipsed what she'd seen from Kenji, but with the sheer number of dropped items there was no way for him to gather even a quarter of them before Jun was upon him.

And yet, Jun didn't attack. He altered his course at the last minute, buzzing by the outskirts of Mousse's field of detritus, dodging easily by the Amazon's staff strike.

* * *

Megu blinked and rubbed her eyes. "Am I imagining things?" she wondered. A swath of items had disappeared from the field, and she was certain Mousse hadn't managed to reclaim them.

"No," Shinku said smugly. "It will not be long now."

* * *

Jun made a tight one hundred eighty degree turn and zipped back toward Mousse, aiming to pass on the opposite side of the still-sizeable pile of equipment.

This time, though, Mousse had a better answer than the staff. His hands disappeared inside his sleeves, then reappeared holding a dagger and a large cloth pouch. He threw the latter followed an instant later by the former. The pouch travelled two-thirds of the way to Jun before the blade caught up with it, rupturing it and releasing a flash of light bright enough to blind everyone in the room.

* * *

Suigin Tou forced her vision to recover instantly. She derived a bit of spiteful satisfaction on noting that Shinku took a few seconds longer—just as long as Megu, in fact.

It was obvious that Jun wasn't doing so well... hardly a surprise, considering how much closer he'd been to the source. He was still on his feet, but he'd crouched down and was rubbing desperately at his eyes. Her enhanced vision could make out faint, otherwise-invisible ripples that formed a latticework cage around him. Spending the power to create that defensive measure hadn't been a good idea, though; Mousse was ignoring him entirely, in favor of gathering up the rest of his equipment. As if to add insult to injury, he even took the time to sprinkle the ice with salt as he removed some of the larger pieces. "Now _that_ is style," she murmured.

"Pardon?" Shinku asked frostily.

"With his footwear he doesn't have to worry about gouges or pits in the ice. But they would play havoc with your precious medium's skates. So he's melting the damaged zones and letting them re-freeze into unblemished ice. What a kind, magnanimous gesture to a thoroughly outclassed opponent," Suigin Tou said, her tone practically dripping sunshine and rainbows. "It's obvious _he_ isn't the one who's been trained by you, Shinku."

The golden-haired girl gazed stonily back at her. "In challenge matches held here, significantly damaging the rink results in automatic defeat. Since it was Mousse's technique that failed, the fault would lie with him. He's merely recovering from one facet of Jun's attack."

"Well, at least that makes sense," Megu said. "But I don't understand anything else about why he's fought like this."

Shinku smiled. "You will soon enough."

* * *

"Flash powder... does that even count as a martial arts technique?" Jun grumbled, his vision and poise finally recovered.

Mousse cocked his head to the side and raised one eyebrow. "Sakurada, do you _really_ want to imply that something which isn't, is not okay to use?"

Despite himself, Jun grinned ruefully. "I guess not." He shook his head... and then went from relaxed stillness to blazing speed, zooming toward Mousse as fast as his skates would take him.

The Amazon stiffened for an instant, deciding between another bounding retreat and meeting his foe head-on. He chose the latter. Taking a few quick steps of his own, he launched a knife-hand strike as Jun closed the last of the distance. Jun absorbed the blow with his left forearm, as his right hand shot forward in a punch. This was blocked in turn, and the two settled into a blazingly-fast exchange of strikes and counterstrikes, all narrowly avoided.

The sound of a golden-haired maiden taking a deep breath went completely unnoticed in the room...

* * *

"RIP HIS SPLEEN OUT, JUN!" Shinku howled. "CRUSH HIS SKULL LIKE A DUCK'S EGG! HOG-TIE HIM WITH HIS OWN INTESTINES!!"

"GYAHH!" Suigin Tou fell right off her petal cushion, and it was a few seconds before she managed to pull herself off the floor and back into the air. "Shinku, w-wh-what the _hell_ was that?!" she managed, staring wide-eyed at her younger sister.

"Calling encouragement from the sidelines is allowed, is it not?" Shinku asked, her composure miraculously restored.

"You call that _encouragement_?!"

Megu rolled her eyes. "Actually, I think she calls it 'legal interference'."

"What?" Suigin Tou asked, turning back to her medium. As she did so, though, she caught sight of what was happening on the ice and all was made clear. What had been a stalemate before had become a desperate defensive action on the part of Mousse. He was trying hard to recover, but his defense was full of holes through which Jun continued to land blows. "Apparently I wasn't the only one surprised by that... outburst." Suigin Tou shook her head and tsk'd in mock sorrow, although the effect was spoiled a little by the fact that she was still pale and twitching. "Hardly ladylike behavior, Shinku."

"On the contrary," Shinku replied. "I am a lady. Therefore how I act, is how a lady acts."

Megu frowned. "Well, your Ladyship, I would appreciate it if you didn't abuse Mousse like that. He has been kind to me."

"I merely showed him an area where his defenses are not as firm as they need to be. That is an act of kindness as well, in its own way."

* * *

When Jun landed a solid three-hit combo through his failing guard, Mousse realized his back was against the wall. Pure hand-to-hand combat was one of his weakest areas. His skill was still greater than his opponent's, but not by enough to offset the degree to which Jun could boost his speed, strength, and coordination. Of course he didn't know how much power Jun still had in his reserves, but the teenager wasn't even trying to hit vital spots which said a lot about his confidence.

Against another fighter, Mousse would have just leapt backward as hard as he could, taking whatever hits this cost in exchange for the opportunity to launch a fusillade of flying steel. That tactic was less than worthless here, though... but hand-to-hand certainly wasn't the answer... his mind raced as he tried to remember every trick he had up his tattered sleeves while warding off what blows as he could.

Jun Sakurada was a very powerful young man, and he had gained a lot of fighting experience since enrolling at Furinkan. However, there were still many areas where he didn't even know how much more there was for him to learn. And so, when a massive gap opened up in Mousse's defense, he simply threw a fierce punch directly into it without pausing to reflect that he hadn't had to force this one open. His fist smashed in for Mousse's stomach, directly into one of the largest remaining patches of untorn white cloth.

As it turned out, that patch was covering something other than flesh.

The thick sheet of rubber Mousse had summoned next to his skin helped protect him from the impact, which was powerful enough to knock him back into the air. The can of industrial-strength Silly String between rubber and cloth burst, launching an explosion of colorful near-weightless strands of polymer that blasted out through the weakened cloth. This surprise broke the rhythm of Jun's attack as nicely as anyone could wish. Instead of his planned advance he staggered backwards, wiping at his glasses with one hand and waving the other in the air in front of him. In the stands, Megu watched in wonder as the string melted away into nothingness.

The brief respite was enough for Mousse to regain the momentum. He pulled a pair of nunchaku out of each sleeve and started forward, the flails spinning menacingly around each hand.

Jun glided away, his skates nearly allowing him to match Mousse's speed despite the fact that he was going backward, since the Chinese man was being careful not to gouge the rink too deeply. However, Mousse was slowly but surely closing the gap.

Jun extended one hand, and a burst of Silly String exploded from nowhere. Mousse's flails swept it out of the way long before it could blind him.

Another gesture, and what looked like a patch of metallic cloth appeared on the ice between them. Mousse hopped easily over it, a jump which also cleared the patch of ice next to it which looked perfectly innocent and was anything but.

Jun took a deep breath. "All right, Mousse. You want my trump card, you got it."

He did a quick two hundred and seventy degree spin, skating a few feet away to the side before stopping. The move kicked up a fine spray of ice crystals, but these didn't settle back to the ice or melt in midair. Rather, they billowed up and outward, settling into the outline of a winged, coiled form. A heartbeat later that outline became solid, birthing itself out of matter stolen from a yo-yo, a dagger, a torn pouch, and a host of different objects snatched off the ice. The dragon was a mixture of Oriental and Western themes, with six legs on a long, snake-like body, but also equipped with wings and a face that actually looked reptilian. Its body was as wide as Jun's shoulders, and it was four times as long as he was tall. It hung motionless in the air for a split second, then reared forward, interposing itself between Jun and Mousse and staring ominously down at the Amazon. And although its claws and fangs were smoothly rounded, somehow that nod to safety failed to detract at all from the menace.

* * *

"What... how... what..." Suigin Tou could neither find the words she wanted, nor hold back and keep silent.

Megu stared at the creature in awe and disbelief, taking in the gleam of light off the places where its skin was made of metal, noticing how those areas blended seamlessly into other subtances. "How can he do that?" she whispered.

"Jun is a Maestro," Shinku replied. "Born to be a craftsman beyond compare. He is still learning many things, but he has come a long way since we first met. By his power and his will and his skill, he can mold any normal material as easily as your Hiro-kun," she nodded briefly at Suigin Tou, who growled back at her, "can shape glass."

She gestured to the ice, drawing the others' attention back to the battle raging there. Jun stood calmly, resting in the shadow of his work. The dragon kept itself between the two flesh-and-blood fighters, striking at Mousse with its fangs, wings, and tail. "Their first match lasted all of five seconds. Mousse threw a hundred weapons at him, Jun took control of them and sent them right back, and wrapped him up immobile and helpless before he could recover from the surprise."

"Finally, some answers," Megu muttered. "That explains why Mousse has been fighting like this. But... if Jun can do that, then why doesn't he bring his own weapons? Why rely on stealing Mousse's?" Another glance at the dragon supplied a possible answer. "Or did he do that after all? That dragon is much larger than what he's taken from Mousse so far."

"No, it isn't," Suigin Tou said. "It's almost entirely hollow. The skin is barely a sixteenth of an inch thick."

Mousse threw a chain with a massive metal ball on the end, which impacted the dragon directly in its chest. The blow knocked the construct backward, but did no noticeable damage.

"I must say, whatever he did is a nice trick," the First Doll added grudgingly.

"And making it move so realistically is another," Megu said. "He doesn't even look like he's concentrating hard."

"That is because he is not," Shinku replied. "The dragon is protecting him of its own will, not because he tied puppet-strings to it in order to move it about."

Megu's jaw dropped. "But that's... I mean... you can't be saying that thing is alive!"

"And why not? It's not the first time you've seen such a thing, is it?" Shinku asked, ruffling Suigin Tou's hair, and just smiling when a wing knocked her hand away.

The raven-haired girl stared blankly at her for a moment longer, then turned back to the ice. Her face fell as she watched Mousse dodge the dragon's attacks by increasingly-smaller amounts, and launch four very different attacks, none of which had any effect on the thing—even the one with a flamethrower. _'Now I understand what Akane meant,' _she thought sadly. _'Jun only lucked into power a few years ago, and Mousse has trained his whole life. It's not fair that he should be so outclassed.'_

* * *

"ENOUGH!" Mousse roared, leaping clear to the other side of the rink. He panted for a moment, glaring furiously at the dragon. It glided forward to the middle of the rink—keeping itself carefully positioned between Mousse and Jun—and raised one claw in a 'come on' gesture. Mousse snorted, then turned his eyes from the dragon to the one who'd called it. "I never thought I'd have to go so far, Sakurada. I meant to save this for Ranma himself. But I'm not losing to you again! Prepare yourself... FLIGHT OF THE NIGHT HAWK!"

He drew his arms together, crossing them over his chest, and for a moment held utterly still. Then he spread them wide, the torn sleeves fluttering gently, gracefully... and trailing shadows in their wake. The effect rippled out from his body quicker than the weapons he'd thrown, leaving the entire room shrouded in murky dimness before Jun could do more than blink.

* * *

Megu pushed away her irritated dizziness at yet _another_ reversal, and peered around. Whatever Mousse had done, it was nothing so simple as filling the room with darkness. There was still some light... but it didn't seem to illuminate things very well. Suigin Tou, mere inches away on her left, was barely recognizable. The boy six seats to her right and one row back, who was gushing about incredible genjutsus, was a blur of orange and yellow. The pale-skinned indigo-haired girl to _his_ right, currently smacking him on the head and berating him not to get manga mixed up with reality, was all but invisible to Megu.

She focused on the rink once more. The dragon wasn't as obscured as everything else, probably due to its extraordinary nature. Mousse's robes were little more than a smear of white, flashing from here to there without clearly covering all the distance in between. She squinted, trying to make out more detail, and glimpsed a glint of metal as a chain snaked out to wrap around the dragon. It thrashed and twisted, and by all rights _should_ have yanked Mousse forward into the air and toward its gaping jaws. However, that white blur stayed right where it was. Strain though she might, Megu couldn't understand why.

"He's anchored himself with a second chain... no, two—_three_," Suigin Tou murmured beside her. "They're wrapped around blocks of empty seats in our row, and he's connected them with steel bars through the links for extra leverage. Ingenious."

"You can see?" Megu asked.

"Better than most, I suspect. But things are still blurry even for me—" Suigin Tou cut herself off with a gasp.

An instant later Megu echoed her. The chain binding the dragon had snapped, and now, unencumbered, it was diving straight for Mousse.

The jaws snapped shut, closing over the robe of their target.

The murky, sight-distorting shadow ended, as abruptly as the flipping of a light switch.

And Jun Sakurada sank unconscious to the rink, his bare-chested opponent standing triumphant behind him, one hand still outstretched from the strike that ended the match, the other clenched and raised high in a gesture of victory.

* * *

Jun's chin barely struck the ice before Shinku was over the rail and dropping to the rink below. As she went over the side Megu caught a glimpse of petals forming into makeshift blades underneath her shoes, which explained the ease and speed with which she crossed the ice to Jun.

She wasn't the only one moving quickly. The dragon spat out Mousse's robe and whirled so fast the air hummed, striking toward the Amazon with vindictive jaws. He yelped and leaped backward, coming to rest against the wall and pulling a halberd out of his rear pants pocket.

Fortunately for everyone, the dragon opted not to attack. It merely hovered protectively over Jun as Shinku reached him, tapped a few pressure points, and began gently slapping his cheeks. He groaned and got up, putting one arm around her for support. They exchanged a few quiet words, then Jun turned to face his opponent and offered a rueful nod. "I've got to admit, that was more than I can handle. Thanks for saying I was worth your best effort, Mousse."

The Chinese man nodded warily back at him. "I'd love to say the same, but it looks like _your_ best effort still wants to bite my head off."

Jun turned and looked sternly at the construct. "Let it go," he said. "It's my fault anyway for not putting up a shield as soon as it got hard to see him."

The dragon gave Mousse one last glare, then turned to face Jun. Its features seemed to slump. Its tail stretched down to the ice and scratched a series of kanji. _**All right, but I'm still sorry.**_

"Don't be," Jun said kindly. "You know all I wanted was for you to get him focused on you, then keep him busy while I got in my own sneak attack. _I_ was the one who didn't do good enough."

The dragon's posture seemed to relax, and it nodded.

"Yes, you did wonderfully," Shinku added, her voice even gentler and kinder than Jun's had been. "Are you prepared now?" The dragon clacked its teeth together and shook all its claws at once, causing the safety coatings to fall away and leave them sharply pointed, then gave Shinku a nod. "Very well then. Mousse, we need to leave the ice."

"All right," the Amazon replied. "Sakurada, you fought very well too. Thank you for the match." He bowed, then jumped up to land beside Lin Su, who pulled him into a gentle victory hug. They held the embrace for a moment, then began walking to the nearest exit, joined by several people offering congratulations. Many of the spectators were leaving now, although a sizeable number were still sitting down and watching the dragon with interest.

Jun and Shinku left the ice as well, skating over to Megu's and Suigin Tou's position then leaping up to join them. Jun sat down and began removing his ice skates, while Shinku turned to face her sister. "Suigin Tou, can you do a favor for me?"

"And what favor would that be?" Suigin Tou asked, watching the dragon with a wary eye. It had drifted along behind Jun and Shinku, and was watching their group from a few feet away. Perhaps this explained the relatively civil nature of her response.

"To open a portal to the N-field using the surface of the rink. I could do it, but such manipulations are much harder for me than for you."

"And why do you need this portal?"

"Can't you guess?" Jun asked, standing up with his feet now free of ice skates. He gestured to the dragon. "Look at this guy. A world like this... it's no place for him. He needs to find where he belongs."

"I see." The First Doll's words escaped in a hiss, colder and harder than the rink below them. "You gave him a few pretty words about it not being his fault that you fell in battle, but that was all they were. Just words. You aren't even trying to fix whatever is so inadequate about him, just..." her voice hitched, "... just disposing of the failure."

"No, Suigin Tou!" Shinku cried, shaking her head. "You don't understand at all!"

"Don't I?! How dare you—" She was cut off by a wing of mixed steel, glass, stone, and wood, which stretched out and curled around her in fluid defiance of the materials which composed it. The dragon lifted her gently and turned her to face it, shaking its head even more firmly than had Shinku. Its tail stretched down to the ice and scrawled one more message, far larger and more emphatic than the others had been: _**LISTEN.**_

"I'm still learning what it means to be a Maestro," Jun said. "I'll get an idea in the back of my head that never quite goes away no matter how much I think about other stuff. And even if I focus everything on that idea, it doesn't come along any faster than if I'd just let it grow back there in its own time. I've been seeing this guy's design for the last two months, little details slowly coming together. The last missing piece was that his body needed a lot of tungsten, and I only realized it after I snagged some out of Mousse's equipment.

"Up until then, my plan was to fight Mousse the way you thought I was—the same way I beat him last time, by turning stuff from his own weapons against him. But when I felt that last piece fall into place, it changed everything. This guy has been waiting a long time for his chance to be. Holding off any longer, even if it was just until the match was over, felt like it was too long. That's why I called him in right then."

"What difference does that make?" Suigin Tou snapped, twisting out of the wing and flying high enough to look down on Jun. "You're still sending him away now that you have no more use for him! Is this what you think it means, to create something?!"

"Of course not," Jun shot back. "Weren't you listening? I didn't create him at all!"

"What?" The seeming absurdity of the statement was enough to shock Suigin Tou out of her anger, at least for the moment. From the corner of her eye she could see the dragon nodding, which only confused her further. "Then what...?"

"Where do spirits come from, Suigin Tou?" Shinku asked her gently. "Some dolls are more than empty sacks of cloth and stuffing, shells of plastic or wood. When we share power with them they can move about and do other things. But we didn't make the spirits that live within those forms, any more than did the human artisans who stitched or carved or sculpted them."

Suigin Tou grimaced. "All right, I'll admit I don't know where. Do you?"

Shinku shook her head. "No, and by the evidence it is likely that we're not meant to."

Jun grimaced and supplemented her statement with an explanation. "Lots of powerful people are really interested in finding out more about how Rozen did what he did with you guys, and want to know what else might be possible. The Amazons have whole branches of martial arts centered around various types of craftsmanship. They aren't the only ones either, but they've got the longest set of records... and in three thousand years they never encountered anything like this.

"One of the Elders watched me complete my last work, with all her senses focused on different spiritual levels to catch everything that happened. She fainted, was unconscious for a week, woke up with no memory of whatever she saw, and couldn't use those extra senses for a solid month."

"Holie has shared a few things with us," Shinku added. "She said that there are souls waiting to be born, who are meant for other worlds but must begin here." She gestured to the dragon. "As you noticed, this child is hollow. His skin is a conglomeration of many things, but none of them are flesh or scale. When Jun said this world was not his place, that was not to say anything against him. He needs to leave here, and make his way through the N-field until he finds the world where he belongs. In that journey, he will gain blood, bones, and all the other trappings of actual life." She heaved a sigh. "Or so we're given to understand."

"Holie said that?" Suigin Tou asked. "How would she know?"

Shinku shook her head. "She cannot say. Somehow, she is constrained from telling us more than she already has."

"What..." Suigin Tou lost the thread of her remarks as Mei Mei appeared, flying in a circle and chiming loudly. The First Doll frowned as she caught the message of her artificial spirit. "Mei Mei..." she said slowly. "Mei Mei wishes to know how Holie was able to say even that much."

Jun shrugged helplessly. "We don't know anything more than we've already told you. Now... could you please open the portal to the N-field? If Shinku has to do it herself, she'll be so exhausted I'll have to carry her home."

Shinku tossed her head indignantly, causing her long braid to fly up and coil around Jun's mouth in a makeshift gag. "Was that supposed to persuade her, or give her even more reason to refuse?"

Suigin Tou frowned and turned away from the byplay, refusing the duo's attempt to lighten the mood. She stared at Megu for a few seconds, wondering what her medium thought of all this. The girl stayed as quiet as she'd been since the fight ended, just sitting thoughtfully still. The First Doll heaved a sigh and turned to face the dragon-construct, wondering whether she really saw that sense of anticipation and hope in its gaze, or was just imagining it. "Is this what you want?" she asked quietly, to which she received a vehement nod. "You have no desire to stay here?" A shake of the head, not as forceful but just as firm. "To... to be with the one who made you?" Another shake, slightly more emphatic than the last. Suigin Tou gulped, then, through a trembling throat she tried one last time, "The one whose care should matter more than everything else?"

One last shake of the head, accompanied by a sense of frustration. Suigin Tou closed her eyes. "Fine," she whispered, dropping like a stone to the rink below. She caught herself at the last instant, and slapped one palm hard against the surface of the ice. The entire rink shuddered, shimmered, and began to glow. The dragon did a quick, excited loop-the-loop, scrawled _**Farewell**_ into the wall, then flashed down and away into the fields beyond.

Suigin Tou stared at the empty space for what felt like a very long time, then stretched out her hand once more and returned the rink to normal. She drew a shuddering breath and floated slowly up to Megu, her wings sagging as if they were made of lead.

"Suigin Tou?" ventured Shinku.

The First Doll turned to stare at her, her gaze weary and drained. "Do you think there's anything to be said right now?" she asked.

"Yes, there is," Shinku replied. "Do not forget—Jun is not Father. There is no reason to draw any sort of parallels between the task he's finding to be his, and what was true for us as Rozen Maidens."

"Isn't there?" Suigin Tou growled.

"No, there is not!" Shinku retorted twice as harshly. She stared into her sister's eyes until Suigin Tou broke the contact, turning to glance at Jun. In that moment she was unobserved, Shinku allowed her own guard to fall, and all the strength and certainty drained out of her expression. She turned as well, facing out across the rink into empty space.

When she spoke again, her tone was quiet and without any emotion at all. "Because if Father's role as a Maestro was the same as Jun's, then he betrayed it seven times over, and none of us will ever be what we were _truly_ meant for."

Suigin Tou's eyes widened as she jerked around. Her hands clenched into fists, and blue flames danced among her feathers. "Shinku...!"

"Do not mistake me!" Shinku retorted, spinning to face her elder sister with force enough to silence her. "There is a reason I said not to draw parallels between Jun and Father! The things I said just now, were to show you what lies at the end of the road you _yourself_ were walking on!" She drew a few tense breaths, then said, "Though I chose to forsake the goal of Alice, I do not, _will not _believe that of Father."

Suigin Tou stared into her eyes for a long, tense moment, then turned away. "Then there's nothing more to be said."

"Not on this subject, at any rate," Shinku agreed.

"Tch. That almost sounds like you think there are others we should discuss."

"There are," Shinku asserted. "But not today, and not tomorrow. Would it be all right if we met to talk things over two days from now?"

"That would work well for me too," Megu said, finally breaking her silence. "There are things I'd like to talk about with you, Jun, and that day's a Sunday so you won't have class. Could we meet here at, say, nine o'clock in the morning?"

"Eh? Okay, sure," Jun said.

"Megu, you and Jun may do whatever you like," Suigin Tou replied. "But I've had enough of this place to last me a very long time. Shinku... if you wish to have that discussion, then you may join me in my N-field."

Whatever reaction she'd expected to this change of plans, it wasn't the soft, gentle smile that spread across her younger sister's face. "I will be glad to come," Shinku said, dipping her head in a quick half-bow. "Thank you for inviting me. I look forward to seeing what new changes are happening in your heart."

* * *

Author's Notes

The dual conversations between Shinku and Suigin Tou, Jun and Megu were originally intended to occur right after the battle. But like I warned you before, my chapter 5 outline bit off way more than I could chew for a single chapter, or even for two. And so you get them in their own installment. I believe this works better anyway; it's been a long and stressful day, if not for Megu then for Suigin Tou—better to give her some time to cool down before something as momentous as the upcoming talk with her sister. And having them talk inside her N-field gives me a lot more possibilities to work with than just having them sit in a quiet corner of the Icebox.

Of course that means you have to wait longer to get the justifications for Suigin Tou being the girl all the boys want. I do have some, and they even make sense (or as much sense as anything makes in Nerima). I can step outside the context of the fic itself to give you one right now, though: it's funny. The very idea is so incongruous, I can't help but smile. Hopefully it was amusing to others as well.


	7. Chapter 7

Megu and Suigin Tou's Excellent Adventures

A Rozen Maiden fanfic by Aondehafka

Disclaimer: the characters and concepts of Rozen Maiden are owned by Peach Pit, not me. This story is based on the anime, not the manga.

* * *

Chapter 7: Rumors of Spring

* * *

_'Well, there it is,'_ Megu thought as she rounded the last corner and came within sight of the Icebox. _'I made it all the way here without running into anything surprising.'_ Her lips quirked into a smile. _'Unless that counts as surprising all by itself. But I guess it's not so strange if Nerima hasn't quite woken up yet. Let's see, what time is it now?'_

She reached into her handbag, pulled out an old-fashioned pocketwatch, and consulted it. "I've still got fifteen minutes," she murmured, closing the watch and walking over to sit on a bench. There was no point in going inside yet; that would just leave her waiting for Jun in the central lobby rather than outside in the street, and if she had to spend time in aimless anticipation, she would much rather do it outdoors. "I suppose I shouldn't have left so early. But then again... if something interesting _had_ happened on the way here, I wouldn't have wanted either to run away or be late.

"Oh well." She smiled again, a gentle grin that was no less ironic for being soft. "I can always do some more reading."

Megu reached into the handbag again, her fingers closing around the cover of a manga. She began to pull it out, but stopped when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. A familiar figure, clothed in white but this time not carrying his bow, had just turned onto the road and was now walking toward her. The rising sun was behind her and falling clearly on his face, which meant it took him longer to recognize her. When he did his sudden awkwardness was plain for Megu to see.

"Hello, Ishikawa-san," she said, standing up as he neared her, wondering at that awkwardness but not letting it infect her. "Did you get your manga back on Friday?"

"What? Oh, yes. Thanks for leaving it at the front desk for me."

"You're welcome." Megu lowered her head in a brief, apologetic nod. "I'm sorry I didn't get Suigin Tou to sign it."

"I... it might be just as well," Uryu said reluctantly.

Megu blinked. "Pardon me?"

Instead of replying, he held silent for a few moments. Then he sighed and said, "Kakizaki-san, I wouldn't ask this if it wasn't important, but... after I left, how did Suigin Tou react? When I wasn't right there in front of her, what did she show, or let herself to show?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're asking," Megu temporized.

"It's... well... I imagine it was obvious how I felt, right?" Uryu looked off to the side, grimacing and tugging on the collar of his shirt. "That I hoped I could get to know her better... and I mean as something closer and warmer than just a friend."

"Well... to be honest..." Megu paused, wondering how best to explain. "I didn't pick up on that at the time. But it wasn't your fault... I'm not sure I could accept it even now, if I hadn't seen fifty boys all try to hit on her later on." She paused, watching Uryu's face darken into a glare then smooth reluctantly back to calmness. "Seeing that was traumatic enough that I didn't have any choice afterward but to believe. Without that, the idea of anyone pursuing Suigin Tou... the First Angel of Rozen Maiden... for _that_ kind of relationship... it was just too hard to imagine. Too far away from my idea of how the world worked."

"It's not that I assumed I was worthy of her," Uryu interjected. "More that I hoped I might be. That I might be able to help her with the challenges ahead of her."

Megu frowned. "You keep saying things like 'felt', 'hoped', 'assumed'. Past tense. Have you changed your mind in the last two days, Ishikawa-san?"

"Not like that..." Uryu sighed. "I still think it would be wonderful, if she were to open up to me like I wanted to open up to her. If I could help her lay the pain of her past to rest, and we could walk on into the future together. I still can't imagine anything greater... but..."

"But what?"

"I never pretended it wouldn't be a challenge," he said quietly. "That wasn't a scary thought, because it wouldn't cost me anything I was afraid to lose. Time and effort? I spend those every day, enough to break an ordinary seventeen-year-old. What if I helped her but in the end she flew away? I'm sure it would hurt, but accomplishing something so great would outweigh that. And I was at least confident that I wouldn't make things worse.

"Now..." he closed his eyes and sighed. "All of that's changed. I was wrong, I didn't know at _all_ what pursuing her would cost. That's why I'm asking you this, Kakizaki-san... if I did walk away, would that hurt her? Would it be the very thing I was certain I'd never do?"

"Well... that is to say..." She took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll just say this straight out. Suigin Tou has so many boys chasing her that one dropping out would be a relief."

Uryu let out a sigh even deeper than the breath Megu had drawn. "I see. Thank you," he said sincerely.

"However..." She drew the word out, watching as new beads of sweat prickled on Uryu's brow.

"However?" he prompted after an uneasy moment of waiting for her to continue.

"I do need you to tell me what changed."

"What? Why?"

"Why do you think? I meant what I said, about Suigin Tou feeling relieved that you won't chase her anymore... but if I just tell her you changed your mind for no reason, how would that look? I told you there are many boys chasing her who aren't as polite about it as you. I don't want to give her more reason to think poorly of half the world."

"But... didn't I already say enough?" he protested. "If I had gotten through to her, if she did want me..." he took a deep breath, then said firmly, "I wouldn't stop now. But she doesn't, and I can't justify sacrificing what it would cost to keep trying to change that." He stared beseechingly at her. "Isn't that enough of an explanation?"

Megu shook her head. "No, it isn't. If she wants to know _why_ you changed your mind, I need to be able to tell her."

Uryu frowned stubbornly. "The details are my own private business. I think you're just asking because _you_ want to know."

"If I was just being curious, I also would have asked why you didn't bring your bow for today's training," Megu riposted. "Oh well. If you really don't want to say, I suppose you don't have to..."

"That sounds good, except for the tone you used to say it," he replied flatly. "What's the catch?"

"I'll just tell Suigin Tou something that would make sense to her. Let's see, based on how that girl looked at us on Friday after you left... how about..." Megu paused for a moment longer, then offered, "Natsume finally snapped during your training session... scattered your arrows... shattered your bow... froze you completely helpless... did everything she'd never admitted she wanted to do... and now you're going to be a father?"

"GWAUUUGH!" Uryu hit the pavement hard enough to see stars. Not that flying through the galactic void wouldn't have seemed more attractive at the moment anyway.

Megu grinned excitedly. "Did I get it right? Really?! There are some things Suigin Tou knows without needing to learn them, and I've always thought it's a nice trick. It would be great in the pachinko parlors and at the racetrack, that's for sure. And even better in challenge matches once I start fighting too. But this is the first time I've gotten something so big perfectly right!"

"I hate to burst your bubble," Uryu said with sarcasm thick enough to spread over an okonomiyaki, "but you didn't. She may have frozen me, but all she did after that was kiss me hard enough to knock me unconscious. It was a good guess, not some kind of psychometric epiphany."

"Oh." Megu pondered this. "But if you were unconscious, then how do you know...?"

"_**AHEM!**_" Uryu cleared his throat with enough effort to break an ordinary seventeen-year-old. "In any case, you now have all the information you need to explain things to Suigin Tou. And..." His vehemence trickled away. He swallowed, then said, "And... also tell her... I hope she finds all the answers she's searching for, and all the happiness she deserves."

"I hope so too," she murmured as she watched him turn and stride briskly toward the Icebox. Once its doors closed behind him, she sat back down on the bench, reaching into her handbag for the manga.

The soft sound of impact from behind distracted her once again. She turned her head, her eyes widening in surprise when she caught sight of Jun Sakurada, who had apparently dropped from the sky (or at least the rooftops). "Hello. You're here early," she noted.

"You too," he said. "So... um... about that guy you were talking to..."

Megu blinked. "What about him?"

"I was just wondering what that was all about? I stayed on the roof so I wouldn't interrupt. I didn't listen in, but I thought I caught Suigin Tou's name there toward the end."

"You did. But I don't see why that makes it your business," she returned.

Jun shrugged uncomfortably. "I guess it's not... as long as she isn't going to go crazy and try to break me again. Like she did before you met her. And after Shinku and I stopped hiding our relationship."

"I don't think there's any danger of that," she reassured him. "You might have made her uncomfortable two days ago, but she's got more important things on her mind than you."

"Glad to hear it." He paused, then said, "Um... what about Shinku? I know she matters way more to Suigin Tou than I do, and they're either meeting already or they're about to. Did it look to you like Suigin Tou was looking forward to it? Or like she hated the thought but didn't want to back out of it? Did she seem like she might be thinking about 'asking' Shinku for another rematch?"

"I don't believe so," Megu said. "I haven't seen her since Friday afternoon. But from the look on her face, what she said and how she sounded, I don't think that's what she was planning."

"Wait," Jun said, "you haven't seen her in that long? Why?"

"Because she left that early for her N-field. She wanted to get it ready for Shinku's visit."

* * *

Suigin Tou stood at the peak of the mountain, her eyes closed, her hands clasped in front of her, and her wings at rest. Around her, snowflakes drifted silently and peacefully down. She paid them no heed as they speckled her feathers and vanished into her hair. Instead she focused on the stillness around and within her, listening, watching, waiting.

There—the faintest of trembles off in the distance, as the door to her N-field opened and Shinku stepped through. Suigin Tou didn't open her eyes yet, but one eyebrow rose in faint surprise as she got a good look at her sister. "At least this time I _expected_ her to do unexpected things," the First Doll murmured.

She kept watching through her mind's eye as Shinku took in her surroundings. During her last visit, the ruined city had been snowbound but still there. Now those ruins were only a memory, and the Fifth Doll found herself in the shadow of the glacier that bulldozed them. She remained there longer than Suigin Tou expected, now staring up at the ice, now looking beyond it to the mountain which loomed far higher, now turning in a long slow circle to regard the broken earth of the plain.

When she did move, it was not to fly toward the mountain where her host was waiting. Instead, Shinku meandered along the glacier, using an N-field trick of her own to cover the distance quickly without hurrying her pace. Thirty minutes of leisurely strolling took her three-quarters of the way around the glacier, all the way to the top of it and down to earth again, somehow managing to pause at every point of interest along the way. When she found the crack that offered a glimpse of Ice Angel Grotto, she stood in quiet study for nearly five minutes. It was gratifying, Suigin Tou admitted within the privacy of her own mind, although that gratification faded when Shinku found the tiny rivulet of meltwater trickling away from the glacier and studied that just as long and intently.

At last, though, Shinku turned and began making her way toward the mountain. Suigin Tou watched for another ten minutes. At the end of this time, she concluded that for whatever reason, her most troublesome little sister wasn't going to use her distance-diminishing trick again. At this rate it would be hours before Shinku's legs carried her to the summit... especially since today she wore the body she was 'born' with.

"Capricious. Unpredictable. More powerful than sensible," Suigin Tou muttered, opening her eyes and shaking her head at her sister's foibles. "I should have been clearer about not wanting to bring Nerima into this."

"Oh? Then you would have been disappointed at the time when you asked that, instead of now."

Suigin Tou's eyes widened. She whirled around to find she was no longer alone on the mountaintop. Shinku, Fifth Doll of Rozen Maiden, was clad in the same gown she'd worn for centuries, and her hair was done in the same style. Her hands bore none of the battle-scars that both Megu and Suigin Tou had noticed on her human form. In fact, there was only one real difference between her appearance now and in Poland fifty-odd years ago: the pink rose that had rested over her front green bow was gone, replaced by a flower-patterned brooch.

Well, there was also the fact that today she carried a potted cactus.

Suigin Tou was _still_ baffled about that last detail, but wasn't ready to give Shinku the satisfaction of asking about it. "Were you just waiting for me to take my eyes off you before you skipped over to join me?" she inquired.

"That or an invitation," Shinku replied. "Or you joining me, of course. You did mention something last time about wanting to give me the grand tour."

The First Doll blinked. "Did I?" she asked. "I don't recall the details. That was years ago, and before this era none of us were ever awake longer than a few months at a time."

"That is so, but I remember. Those memories are important to me." The Fifth Doll smiled gently at her, and continued, "Seeing the changes you had begun here was a hopeful sign, a very hopeful one once I'd had a little time to consider everything. Yes, I remember the visit quite well."

"H'rm! I, I see," Suigin Tou managed, looking away, knowing her cheeks were flushed and wishing that reaction weren't beyond a Rozen Maiden's control. "I do remember you trying not to admit you were impressed, with how quickly I saw to the heart of the communications plan you were hinting at."

"Yes, well, there are much more impressive things here, I think," Shinku said briskly, her own cheeks pinkening. "Those rose gardens I can see a little way down the mountain are a particularly fine sight. Would you like to lead the way over there and offer me a closer look?"

"Hmmm... no," the First Doll replied.

"I see. Is there a reason why not?"

The faint disappointment in her sister's tone was music to Suigin Tou's ears. "Why should I give everything away at once?" she asked lightly. "If you're good, I might invite you back for another visit. This way you have a little more incentive to come again later."

"...Ah. Is that so."

Shinku's relief, muted though it was, came as an even greater satisfaction to her older sibling. _'It's about time I managed to set the pace and control one of these encounters,'_ Suigin Tou thought. _'If I can bounce her around for a few more minutes, I should be able to keep the advantage all throughout the meeting.'_

"I happen to agree with you," Shinku continued. "In fact, I thought to provide something like that myself." She held out the baby prickly-pear cactus. "That is why I brought this gift for my host."

"What?" Suigin Tou asked blankly, her thoughts on keeping the tempo flying away like the elusive Blue Bird of Happiness. "...A cactus as a guest-gift?" She stared at the tiny plant, which almost seemed to be huddling down against the cold, then looked into Shinku's eyes. "Is this supposed to be some kind of commentary?" she growled.

"Yes, but not in the way you mean," Shinku replied with an inscrutable smile.

"And what other way is there for me to regard this small, dull, spiny cousin-to-a-weed?"

"Well, Suigin Tou, how long do you think it would remain alive if I stopped sustaining it and set it down, and you and I walked off to take that tour?"

Suigin Tou held out one hand. Three of the snowflakes that drifted lazily down altered their course to land on her palm. "You need to ask? It's not at all adapted to life in this environment." Then she blinked. "Are you trying to admit I was right after all, about Nerima being no place for me? You might have the courage to just come out and say it, you know."

"The cactus isn't any kind of metaphor for you," Shinku sighed. "I brought it _because_ of how quickly it will die without any care." She set the plant down and stepped away from it, looking her sister in the eye. "You would need to make a space where it can live, or change it so it can survive these conditions. Or you can simply allow it to die. The choice is yours."

"Did you hit your head in a challenge match yesterday?!" Suigin Tou demanded, quickly extending one wing far enough to encircle the pot and take over the reinforcement that Shinku was no longer providing. "A choice? I'm not a Gardener! I can't manage either of those first two!"

"I believe you can," Shinku returned evenly. "And if you want proof of that belief, just think of what Suisei Seki will have to say to me once she learns of this exchange." She was unable to maintain her impassive mask; a faint grimace marred it for a moment. Recovering from this, she continued, "As I am certain you can imagine, justifying it to her won't be easy or fun… but I have set myself up for it nonetheless. That should be all you need to convince you I'm certain of what I say."

"When are you ever not? It doesn't make you right!"

"Perhaps. But I am right this time."

Suigin Tou growled for a moment. Her eyes drifted from Shinku to the cactus, then to her sister again. Back and forth, back and forth, a little more desperately each time...

* * *

"Hm," Jun said. "I hope 'getting it ready' didn't mean stocking it full of traps and stuff."

"I hope so too," Megu said. "She's come a long way, in putting the worst of her history with Shinku behind her. But being able to have a friendly match with her, without breaking open old wounds? I don't think she's there yet."

"But you do think she'll get there someday?" he asked, his tone equal parts caution and hope.

"Yes," she said firmly, smiling. "I do."

"I'm glad." Jun offered her a smile of his own. "I don't know what you wanted to talk to me about, Kakizaki-san, but as far as I'm concerned this meeting has _already_ been a good thing."

"Thanks! Then let's go inside," Megu said, turning and leading the way. "I booked sub-rink eighteen for us," she added as he caught up with her.

"Okay... huh?" Jun did a double-take. "Wait, why would we need a rink? You said you wanted to talk, right? There's plenty of places we can go to do that, and they aren't nearly as expensive as booking a whole room. Number eighteen isn't even one of the small rinks!"

"Well, I started thinking about things on Friday evening. Shinku said that I was actually your apprentice, as far as things are concerned around here, and I want to take advantage of that. I'd like to get some training. I don't mean a real fight," she added hastily, "or even a full-force spar. But we can practice things like control, creativity, and finesse, right?"

"Just as long as you're okay with me not putting much effort into it," Jun warned as they entered the building. "Like I said, I hope Shinku won't end up fighting Suigin Tou. But if she does, I'm gonna be sure she'll have plenty of my strength to draw on."

"That sounds perfect," Megu said agreeably. She walked over to a wall display that mapped out the various sub-levels of the Icebox and studied it for a minute. Once she'd figured out the route to their destination, she added, "I think I'm ready for a challenge—just not the pain that usually goes with it."

Jun grinned ruefully. "Yeah, that takes some getting used to." He thought for a moment as they walked down the corridor toward their first staircase. "Maybe for your first real fight, you should challenge someone who uses Martial Arts Acupuncture."

"Why?"

"You spent all that time in the hospital, right? Getting stuck with needles is a pain you're used to. It would kind of bridge the gap into stuff you aren't."

"That may be true," Megu said with a frown, "but I don't _want_ to be reminded of that time. Unless it's something that's reinforcing how different and how much better things are now, I mean."

"Well, wouldn't that be the case? I mean, back then the needles were meant to give you medicine, fluids, nutrients... healing, useful things. In a fight, they'd be trying to nail you at pressure points that cause all kinds of wacky, screwed-up effects. That's about as different as you can get."

"You're right, Jun!" she said, brightening. "Thank you, I think that _is_ what I'll do."

"Glad to help," he said modestly. "Heck, I'll even pay for half the fee of renting the rink today."

"Um..." Megu gave a sheepish chuckle. "You don't need to say that."

"I insist."

"No... I mean you _really_ don't need to say that." When Jun offered her a curious look, she explained, "When I was on the phone with them yesterday, I... well... kind of made use of my status as your apprentice... and rented it in your name. They said they'd charge the fee to your account."

Jun grimaced, and muttered something under his breath about how fighting strength and credit ratings ought to be completely unrelated things.

"Pardon?"

"Nothing. Look, Kakiz—_Megu_. What do you know about how the 'master-apprentice' thing works around here?"

"I'm a little shaky on the details, but basically... the apprentice gets to act in the master's name, use his resources, share his glory, and in return does whatever the master says or gets the living daylights thrashed out of her?"

"Right. Now, I know it's been a while since we spent much time around each other... but do you honestly think I would thrash the living daylights out of you? Even if Suigin Tou weren't in the picture?"

"Well, no."

"So then do you really think it's fair to take advantage of me like that?"

Megu pondered this. "Hm. 'Fair' is such a complicated word," she mused, "and I've still only spent the smallest piece of my life outside of the hospital. I wonder, is it 'fair' to ask me such big, philosophical questions?"

Jun massaged his temples. "Just ask next time, okay?"

She beamed at him. "Really? Thank you, Jun! I mean, the only reason I did it this once was because I spent all my own money helping someone else. I didn't expect you to say it was okay for the future too!"

He sighed, shook his head, then, almost unwillingly, gave a small grin. "Well, I guess I shouldn't complain. After all, the Chinese have a saying, about how when you save someone's life that makes you responsible for them."

"Do they?" Megu thought about this for a while, as they passed through two more corridors and down another staircase, then a few feet down one more hallway and into sub-rink eighteen. The rink was half the size of the one on which Jun and Mousse had fought, ringed by a thin strip of raised carpeted floor. There were no tables, chairs, or benches; the only extra feature of the room was a large rack of shelves which held complimentary pairs of ice skates.

As Jun closed the door behind them, Megu broke her silence. "Hmm... it's true you saved my life, but Suigin Tou was just as involved in that as you were."

"Tch. That almost sounds like joint custody," he joked. "And it makes it even more appropriate for me to teach you something today. After all, you've obviously already learned some lessons from her."

"Yes. So, when are you going to stop fighting with Mama and accept her, Papa?"

Jun's facefault put Uryu's earlier one to shame. Megu grinned down at him, a grin that would have annoyed the teen had he been in any condition to notice it. _'I wonder if that counts as first point to me.' _Probably not, she decided. She had said she didn't want full-force sparring, and he'd hit the ground pretty hard.

"Very funny," Jun grumbled as he pulled himself back to his feet. He shot Megu a nervous, sidelong glance. "Uh... it was a joke, right?"

"Of course it was," she assured him. "I don't think of Suigin Tou as any kind of mother. More like a sister, and really it changes from day to day which of us is the older sibling. Sometimes from minute to minute."

"That wasn't what..." Jun decided to drop it. He walked over to the ice skate shelves near the door, selected and put on a pair in his size, looked down at them for a moment, then brought Megu a pair.

She slid them on, grimacing as the skates pinched her feet. She'd never got around to renting a pair on Friday, but she had to wonder if doing so then would have better prepared her for today.

Almost immediately, though, the pinching sensation faded. The skates became even more comfortable than her normal shoes. "Is that good enough?" Jun asked, looking up from the stare he'd been directing at her feet.

"Good enough?" she echoed. "They do feel fine now; did you do that? Reshape them to fit me?"

"Yeah. Being a Maestro has its uses," he said, then gestured toward the ice. "After you."

"You're too kind," Megu said with a smile. She lifted into the air, drifted to the middle of the rink, and settled carefully down with her personal gravity running at fifteen percent and flows of power bracing her legs to stabilize her.

"Have you ever skated before, Megu?" Jun asked as he joined her on the ice.

"No," she admitted... then leaned forward onto her right leg and kicked off with her left, rocketing away at a speed that matched anything Jun had done during his fight with Mousse. The young Maestro gaped as he watched her zip around the room in a long, graceful, wobble-free arc. Grinding to a stop and grinning at him, she continued, "But that's okay. I can just do ten percent skating, ninety percent flying."

"I see." He gave her a long, studying look, then began skating backwards with his hands clasped behind him. "Still, let's take some time to get you used to it. See if you can follow me."

"All right," Megu said agreeably, gliding after him and matching his pace.

"Actually I meant for you to skate backwards t—WAUUGH!!"

He'd been too busy watching his so-called apprentice, studying the rhythm of her movement and trying to see how much of it was physical skill and how much was the work of the Rose Bond. After all, he didn't want to return a bruised or bone-weary medium to Suigin Tou. He'd focused too much on the wrong parts of the picture in front of him, missing the gleam in Megu's eyes and the nearly-suppressed mischievous smirk on her lips.

The giant spiderweb that billowed out of nothingness behind him had likewise gone unnoticed, at least until he tore through the first layer and got caught in the second.

Had the web been spun out of matter, Jun would have escaped immediately, or even sensed it in time to avoid it. But Megu was no Maestro; all she could create was a net of energy overlaid with illusion. Of course, by the same token Jun's unique abilities were useless against the snare.

"Ha!" Megu exclaimed, going from a glide to a blur, and angling her course to pass just beside Jun rather than smashing into him. A harmless tap on his side, and the first point of the 'match' would go to her!

The ice beneath Jun's feet dropped, forming a three-foot-deep depression. Of course, the displaced matter had to go somewhere... and it did, rearing beneath Megu's feet and sending her shooting into the air. For a moment Jun hung unsupported except by the web, but it had only been reinforced against horizontal force. Under the vertical stress it tore and vanished, dropping him just in time for Megu's extended fingers to miss his head by inches as she zipped by him.

"More Maestro powers?" the girl said, staring down at him from her position in midair. So far his ring hadn't shown even the hint of a gleam."I was hoping you'd train me in stuff _I_ can do."

Jun shrugged as the ice slumped back into its original form. "Megu, I am. I could've raised the ice in front of me into a wall for you to smack into. I did it this way so you'd still have a chance to get me—if you were good enough at flying."

She blinked, then offered him a rueful smile and sank back to the ice. "Hm. I see. And... I'm sorry. I guess it just bothers me a little, that you're using something else, something that's just yours, instead of the abilities we both have. The ones I'm trying to develop."

"You have to let that go," Jun said seriously. "If you want this kind of training, anyway. We can forget about sparring and I'll just show you things I've figured out how to make the Rose Bond do, if you'd rather have that. But if you want to practice like this, you don't get to tell me what tactics to use. Just like you couldn't in a real match."

Megu sighed. "You're right, of course. And... and really, it's stupid of me to be jealous. So what if there's something I can't ever reach for myself? I've been given so much already... Right!" She nodded decisively, then drew herself into a reasonable approximation of a ready stance. "Let's go, Jun! I'll take whatever you throw at me!"

* * *

"...I can't accept it," Suigin Tou whispered, closing her eyes.

Shinku said nothing in return. The silence stretched until Suigin Tou couldn't bear it any longer. "Just now you said you wanted to see the rosebushes," she said, her voice tight and rasping. "And I also remember you were very impressed when you first saw them, two and a half years ago. Do you know how I made them?"

"I do not," Shinku said carefully.

"They were just sculptures at first. Real roses could never have lived here, so I made something to stand for them." Suigin Tou gave a mirthless laugh. "Better than littering the place with broken dolls, I told myself. Putting my flames into them came later, to make them prettier, and more importantly to help me learn how to place that power into a vessel without harming it.

"I don't even know when it happened," she continued. "I didn't come to that part of my world every time I visited, and even when I did I didn't always look closely at the roses. But one day I realized there were more blooms than there had been—and that the new growth wasn't something that had been done by an intruder. I still don't understand how, but life arose inside those stems and leaves and blossoms. They're the only thing in this place that I can't imagine scrapping and starting over."

"And you think that taking the cactus and caring for it, would be saying you no longer valued those roses so highly?" Shinku ventured.

"Not even close, little sister," Suigin Tou shot back. "I haven't finished explaining yet. Just be patient.

"On Friday you said you were eager to see the changes I had made here. Two parts of me immediately wanted to take the invitation back. One felt that way out of spite, and one wanted to make this place grander and more impressive before anyone—" She grimaced, then forced out the correction, "Before _you_ saw it.

"I'm not sure if that first part will ever be entirely gone, but I'm trying to let it go. It's much smaller now than it once was. The other... just like the roses, I don't know when it grew so large. And so I barely paused for a moment to say goodbye to Megu, once we got back to our home. Five minutes after that, I was here and getting to work."

"Is that so?" Shinku asked. "What changes did you make? When I was walking around, nothing seemed out of place or rough around the edges."

"There were trees," Suigin Tou said heavily. "On the mountain's lower slopes. I didn't put fire inside them, but I crafted them as carefully and beautifully as I could. They were a match for anything Suisei Seki has in that overgrown flowerbox of hers, or at least they would be if they had come alive as well. I was hoping they would, over the next few months. But even without that, they were beautiful enough to take your breath away.

"And the glacier... I set angels on its peaks and ridges, five times the size of the ones sleeping inside that gallery. By the time I finished with them, I was exhausted. I flew to my garden and laid down to sleep, planning to tear holes in the clouds when I woke up. I wanted sunlight to shine down in just the right places to flash onto the angels and blind you with their glory."

Shinku looked up into the clouds overhead. The clouds were thinner than the last time she visited, thin enough that a surprising amount of light leaked through, but there were no holes to be seen. "Is that even possible?" she asked doubtfully. "I have always thought the sky is a true reflection of the state of the dreamer's heart. That it can change, slowly over time or quickly in a period of crisis or triumph, but it can't be changed on a whim."

"Well, add a little more supporting evidence to that theory," Suigin Tou said bitterly. "The clouds overhead were rolling and seething when I arrived. I ignored them. I had far too much to do to waste time with random disorderly elements. I think they got worse as I worked, but I can't even be sure—that's how little attention I paid.

"I woke up to a combination of a blizzard and a thunderstorm."

Shinku drew in her breath with a shaky gasp, as if hearing behind Suigin Tou's bald words an echo of the ferocity and destruction that had lashed this world so recently. "And that is why those angels and trees are gone?"

"Blasted, shivered, shattered, erased. The angels were gone before I woke up, as the storm swept in from all sides at once. The trees came crashing down even as I tried to regain control and protect them."

"But you saved the roses," Shinku returned. "Is that not so?"

"Barely," Suigin Tou growled. "I'd never realized there was a limit to how far I can extend my wings. The most I could do was weave them back and forth eight layers deep over the garden. And the ice and wind and rain pierced all the way through the top six layers. If a bolt of lightning had struck..."

Shinku frowned. "Was there really such danger, then? Not to you personally, but to the element of this world that matters most to you? I would not have expected the storm to do more that sweep away the changes you'd just made." She blinked. "In fact, I would not even have expected that, unless there was a part of you that didn't want them which was larger than the part that did."

Suigin Tou stared at her sister for a moment, before exhaling a weary sigh. "You have no idea what really happened here, do you? What I'm trying to say?"

Shinku hesitated a few moments, before offering a small, uncertain smile. "Perhaps not. Won't you tell me? I will be glad to listen."

"I was _hoping_ I wouldn't have to say it outright. After all, you were the one who told Sakurada that this world was created out of my heart."

After waiting a few moments for a reply that never came, Suigin Tou continued. "I will admit I didn't understand the storm either, at first. It lashed down, pounding everything, and every attempt I made to silence it or push it away did nothing. But... as I tried, as I kept on trying... as the hail and sleet and freezing rain lashed into my wings... I slowly began to realize where it was all coming from.

"It was the confusion and chaos in my heart, from visiting that town of yours."

Shinku continued to say nothing, though it looked to Suigin Tou like her sister might actually be biting her tongue to keep silent. "Do you understand now?" she continued. "Think back to what I said earlier. I pushed all those feelings out of my mind, shoved them out of sight as tightly packed away as I could." She laughed bitterly. "Like anything other than an explosion could have come of such foolishness. I suppose I'm _lucky_ it generated a storm—the mountain could just as easily have become a volcano."

"Surely not," Shinku murmured. "Such a passion, so hot and all-transforming?"

"Don't say it like THAT!" Suigin Tou squawked.

Shinku raised her eyebrows. "Why should I not? I said I _didn't_ believe you were in danger of such an... eruption."

"You've also been known to lie through your teeth," Suigin Tou shot back.

Her sister winced. "Yes, but it's been two hundred years since I did about anything important. And when I do these days, it's usually in the hope that it will help an important truth come out."

"And that works, does it?"

"Suigin Tou, do you really want to derail our conversation and turn it into a series of accusations against me? Weren't we discussing more important things?"

The First Doll sighed and relented. "I suppose so. Anyway, once I recognized the storm for what it was, I was able to take control. I couldn't stop it, and at that point I didn't even want to. Instead, I poured out all the negativity I could find inside myself, dredged up every scrap of confusion and pain and doubt and released them as five hours of freezing rain onto the glacier. I finished only an hour before you arrived."

"I will admit, several times now you've seemed less volatile than I would have expected," Shinku said cautiously. "Was it really so effective, redefining and disposing of those feelings in such a manner? I never realized our worlds could be used like that."

Suigin Tou was quiet for a long moment, then admitted, "I think this was more than just a natural quality of my field. Awhile back I encountered a human whose songs drew hidden pain up and out of the listener's heart. I think I managed to duplicate a little of her trick." She stared grimly into her sister's eyes. "And so it goes. I keep on learning lessons from humans, learning them more quickly than I even _realize_ I'm taking new things into myself. It... it's frightening, Shinku... because I know I can't stop entirely, and I don't dare push ahead too far too fast..."

"I'll help you if I can, sister," Shinku said gently. "That is why I wanted to talk to you, after all."

The First Doll heaved a deep sigh. "And that means discussing Nerima, I take it?"

"Specifically, a certain thing that happens each time you show your face there."

"You mean, how people always challenge me to fight?" Suigin Tou said hopefully. "Humans who shouldn't have a prayer of standing against me, but somehow seemed to have tricked reality into looking the other way?"

Shinku stared flatly back at her sister, then held up one hand. A stream of red petals darted into the air, forming two big hearts over the word 'Cupid'.

"I didn't think so," groaned Suigin Tou, closing her eyes. "Shinku, I'm sure you can find something else to discuss. I don't want to talk about that."

"I'll admit that desire can sometimes bend reality," Shinku answered, "but when it does not, pretending that it will is a recipe for disaster. After all, their hope and warm regard for you exists despite you wishing it would disappear..." She paused, letting Suigin Tou growl at the reminder, then struck like a viper: "Is that not so?"

"That question didn't sound nearly as rhetorical as it should have," Suigin Tou shot back, glaring as fiercely as she could manage. "No!... I mean, yes!... Wait..." her anger was blunted by confusion, as she realized she didn't quite know how to reduce her response to a one-word answer. "I mean, I've certainly never _encouraged_ any of them!"

Shinku sighed. "That is not true, I'm afraid. Whatever your intentions were, your efforts have been _anything_ but discouraging."

Suigin Tou stared wildly at her sister, then dropped to the ground, closed her eyes, held her head in her hands, and emitted a low moan... although Shinku noted that she didn't release the cactus or quit providing energy to it.

She let Suigin Tou have a few moments to recover, then said gently, "Is it so unsettling then, that so many young men in Nerima would call you desirable?"

"What do you think?" Suigin Tou fired back. "I can't even count how many are clamoring for me... and it only took _one_ human calling for _you_ to abandon Father's will forever."

* * *

Jun grinned. "I'll hold you to that," he said.

Megu blinked as she recognized an opening for a retort, one that should leave him flat on the ground. She opened her mouth to give it, but the words "Hold me? Are you sure Shinku wouldn't mind?" never came. They were trampled by her cry of surprise as the ice beneath her heaved once again, more powerfully than before. She was flung into the air, as was Jun—the ice below him had surged as well, throwing him on a course at a thirty degree angle to hers.

Concentrating fiercely, Megu took control faster than she had before, turning her passage into true flight and angling to intercept Jun. Just as quickly, a pillar of ice surged from below, catching Jun and flinging him farther away. Its task done, the pillar gave a shivering _**crack**_ and shattered, most of it falling as shards which vanished smoothly into the ice below, the rest forming a cloud of crystal that obscured Megu's vision. She could dimly see more pillars rearing up and throwing Jun around the room, now to her left, now to her right, now completely invisible as pillar after pillar shattered and added to the obscuring cloud. The speed and chaos of Jun's technique were more than Megu could handle; she hung motionless in the air, too shocked to manage any kind of adjustment or recovery.

A feather-light touch on her forehead signified Jun had scored the first point of the match. Megu was so disoriented that it barely registered. Jun landed another one fifteen seconds later, to which she managed an awkward counterattack that came nowhere close to hitting. Two more touches, and her irritation rose high enough to overwhelm her confusion.

"HYAA!" Megu shouted, summoning power into the image of billowing white wings she'd used once before in Nerima. This time, though, the appendages were more than just an illusion to excuse her hovering. Now they were brilliantly, _blindingly_ bright—shedding light enough to equal the flare bomb Mousse had used two days past.

"Waugh!" One last crash of ice shook the room.

Megu lowered the arm that had shielded her face and opened her eyes. The air was still thick with ice crystals, but it was clearing quickly now. Squinting through the fading haze, Megu made out Jun's form, at the base of the broken pillar that had failed to catch him. He was groaning, rubbing his head with one hand and his eyes with the other. His glasses lay on the ice beside him. Megu couldn't tell if they'd been knocked away in the collision or set there by Jun to let him nurse his dazzled eyes, and she winced as she realized that if he had run face-first into the ice, they could have shattered and blinded him for good.

Unless being a Maestro was enough to fix that too, she reminded herself. From the reading she'd done, it seemed likely that she was worrying over nothing. After all, Enju's powers were presumably how he'd made himself into a near-clone of Rozen.

Jun opened his eyes and picked up his glasses. "I really need to add a flare filter to these," he groaned, then slid them back onto his face and stood up. "Knew I shouldn't have spent the whole day yesterday letting Shinku comfort me after my loss."

"Well, if you tell her how you lost to me, that should earn you another day of comfort," Megu said with a cheeky grin, trying out the venerable Nerima tactic of taunting your opponent to knock him off-balance.

"Lost?" he echoed, rolling his eyes. "I make the score five-to-one so far."

"Actually I think it's four-to-one," she corrected.

Jun offered his own grin. "You sure about that?"

"Well, no. That attack was so tumultuous I guess I could have missed one touch," she admitted, annoyed both at that fact and the itch that had sprung up between her shoulder blades. Reaching around to fix that second thing, her fingers encountered something unexpected—a solid object floating in midair. She whirled to face it, finding what looked like a dagger without a point or sharp edge and formed entirely of crimson petals.

"Situational awareness," Jun spoke from the ice below her. "I won't pull any more tricks like that today, but I wanted to do it just once. Because knowing what's going on all around you is critical in a real fight."

"Hm," she said absently, turning the implement over and over in her hands. "So we can even do this with the Rose Bond? You can summon Shinku's petals? Could I call up Suigin Tou's feathers, I wonder?"

"No, it's not like that," he answered. "I didn't summon them out of nowhere, like Shinku does. Those petals are from a supply she gave me yesterday."

"Oh." Megu sank to the ice and began to skate idly around in a long looping figure-eight, most of her attention still fixed on the petal construct. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"... I don't really know how to put it," she admitted. "It's just... as I watched you fight Mousse, there were so many questions I had. Why did you fight the way you did? Why did he? Shinku eventually explained about Mousse, but I still don't understand so much about your tactics. In fact, it's even worse now."

Jun blinked. "Worse? Why?"

"Because now I know what you could have done with the rink, using just your Maestro powers." Megu scraped up a tiny, wry smile. "I'm guessing it wouldn't even have taken much power, since you said you weren't going to do anything that would keep Shinku from having most of your strength available."

"Yeah, but didn't she tell you about Icebox house rules? Messing up the rink means you lose automatically."

She gestured at the surface of the ice, pristine and unmarred even after Jun's frozen blitzkrieg. "So what? It's not messed up at all."

"Not now. But fixing it afterward doesn't count. If I'd done that on Friday, I'd have lost as soon as the first throwing-arm rose an inch higher than the rest of the ice."

"Oh." Megu's smile widened. "So really, I won today after all."

Jun gave her a flat stare. "So we're finished now? Through for the day?"

She winced. "Five-to-one it is." Her outfit lacked any convenient pockets and her handbag was sitting on the carpet forty feet away, so she slipped the rose construct into her left hair-braid for safe keeping. "But I have no intention of leaving it there, sensei!"

"That's more like it," he said with a smile, kicking off into a fast glide that matched her own increasing pace.

"Obviously I didn't think to borrow any feathers from Suigin Tou," Megu said, as shadows curled around her right hand, forming a mass of transparent black pinions. "But can we say I did, for the purpose of this practice?"

"Yeah, but we can do better than that." Jun slid to a halt and raised his hand, summoning a flurry of rose petals. Even as Megu watched, they fused, elongated, and darkened into a reasonable facsimile of Suigin Tou's feathers. "How many do you want?"

Once again Megu considered the shortcomings of her garments. _'I really need to learn how to store things in subspace or an N-field or wherever it is. For now, though...'_ "Could you give me thirty... as well as some pockets to hold them in?"

One exercise of Maestro powers later, Megu's clothes were capable of storing the feathers Jun provided. She gave him a bow of thanks, then zipped away in a fast curving arc that would have seen her circling him had he not moved as well.

They danced around each other for a minute or so, eyeing one another warily but neither making the first move. Gradually Megu increased her pace and decreased her contact with the ice, until her clothes rippled and cracked with her speed and her skates had nothing to do with her staying upright.

Rather than match her speed, Jun had slowed down. He wasn't sure how his apprentice's flight technique worked, and maybe it wasn't even possible for her to slip and break her fool neck... but it wasn't something he wanted to leave to chance. Keeping one normal patch of ice beneath his skates while rendering the rest soft and bouncy was the most challenging stretch of his powers he'd had in some time, and it reduced his speed to little more than a walk. Megu was able to circle him with ease.

_'This is getting ridiculous,'_ he thought as she sped even farther up. _'I shouldn't let her set a pace like this.'_ He waited a few moments more, until Megu's path curved away from the walls and toward the center of the rink. Then it was Megu's turn to crash into a massive spiderweb, although this one was soft, billowy, and formed of countless rose petals.

"AAUGH!" Getting caught by Jun's snare heartbeats before she could launch her own attack was disconcerting, to say the least. However, memories of her earlier failure galvanized Megu. With a surge of power she broke the web before Jun could move in to score against her. She scattered crimson petals everywhere, mixed with a thousand illusionary black feathers; the petals sank to the ice while the shadows continued to multiply, spreading with nearly the speed of Mousse's Flight of the Night Hawk to obscure the entire rink. Megu took a few seconds to recover from the large expenditure of energy, then rose silently into the air. She didn't believe Jun could fly, and so it shouldn't be too hard to locate him by the sound of his skates.

Unfortunately, she'd taken too long. The petals had naturally fallen in a configuration that encircled Megu's position... and now under Jun's command they rose gently into the air and began swirling around. Most of them came nowhere near hitting her, but there were plenty that brushed against her.

That was all Jun needed. The furious scrape of his skates across the ice reached Megu's ears, seemingly only an instant before the first poke landed in her side. As fast as she could, she pulled and threw one of her feathers, putting enough force into it that it would sting if it hit. As far as she was concerned, until Jun started doing that with his rose petals their brushes against her didn't count as points.

Jun's next strike landed a heartbeat later, under her shoulder on the opposite side of her, making Megu realize she'd been too slow to connect with her counter. She gritted her teeth and threw twenty feathers into motion, swirling around her in concentric circles at five different heights. This time she caught Jun off guard. A startled grunt reached her ears simultaneous with the thud of feathers against flesh, and she felt the breeze of a strike that missed her hip by a hairsbreadth. Capitalizing on Jun's moment of unbalance, she darted up and away at full speed. She stopped a few seconds later before she could run into the wall or ceiling, but with enough distance between them to hopefully give her some options.

As she frantically planned her next move, a rose petal brushed her. Megu swallowed a groan of indignation and moved again. Thankfully the petal had come straight from Jun's last position, directly in front of her; the area behind her and to one side should still be clear. She darted fifteen feet in that direction and focused on the feathers that were shielding her. They pulled out of their five rings of four and queued up into one line of twenty, positioned in the air below Megu's feet. Another burst of power and the makeshift rod was spinning like a propeller, generating a wind strong enough to scatter the rose petals she could feel creeping forward. Riding on the wind were her remaining feathers, spread like a net that she hoped would trap her sensei and earn at least a couple more points for her.

The firm poke of Jun's finger into the back of her neck shattered her concentration and her hopes. The shadows fled the room, as if chased out by Megu's wail at the unfairness of it all. "HOW?!" she demanded, spinning to face him. Rather than flying, he was standing on raised stilts of ice. "How did you get there so fast? How could you possibly have known _that_ well where I was? You didn't keep a connection to the feathers you gave me, did you?!"

"No, but..." To Jun's credit, he looked a bit abashed as he reached out and plucked the crimson petal-dagger out of her hair. "I guess you forgot about this, huh?"

Megu stared, glared, then closed her eyes and sighed. "No, I didn't forget. In fact, I was _planning_ to use all thirty of my feathers, then hit you with that when you thought I was out of throwing weapons."

"That's not a bad idea," Jun said encouragingly. "But it's not likely to do you much good against an experienced fighter. Anybody who's worth your time to challenge will already know you can throw energy blasts." When Megu blinked and stared at him in obvious puzzlement, he smiled and continued, "That story of you against Happosai spread through the whole district in less than a week."

"You know, I completely forgot about that. The story spread so far, so fast? Why was everybody interested?"

"Are you kidding? I guess you haven't been here long enough to understand. But managing to get Happosai or Cologne impressed with you, the first time they meet you—that marks you as someone to watch. Even as you are now, with less than an hour of fighting experience, you're far enough along that nobody in the bottom level of skill should bother to challenge you. You're already out of their league."

"Really? I'm glad!" Megu said, smiling broadly. "MISANDRY MISSILE!"

Jun never would be certain which caught him more off-guard: Megu's launching the attack in the middle of their conversation, or the technique's name. In any case he was caught completely flat-footed, smashed to the rink below by an attack that worked much better on him than it had on Happosai.

Megu sank graciously to the ice and offered him a hand up. "I was hoping for more than three points, but I guess that will have to do. I'm running low on energy."

Groaning, and with more than a little trepidation, he accepted the aid. " 'Misandry Missile'?" he echoed disbelievingly.

"It passes harmlessly through females but impacts with full force on males. Well, males who aren't whatever that Happosai thing is."

"Hm," Jun said, a vaguely worried look on his face.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, feeling her own sudden pang of worry. "Should I not use an attack like that? Would it scare men away, thinking I really was a misandrist?" It had been uncomfortable when several guys at once began flirting with her on her first trip to Nerima, and even a little scary when several more appeared and joined in. But she wanted to take things slow in that arena, not destroy those opportunities entirely!

"No, it's not that," he hastened to assure her. "Actually... I was just thinking about how well you're already doing, and wondering whether it'll even be a year before I have to worry about my own student challenging me."

Megu smiled brilliantly. "Really? Well, remember, just because you're my sensei doesn't mean you have to train me for free. You can ask for things from me in return."

He gave her an odd look, as if he couldn't decide whether that remark had been flirtatious. Which, Megu decided on balance, was probably just as well. She wasn't sure herself.

"I'll keep that mind," Jun said. "So, you're low enough on energy that you don't want to practice any more. Do you want to sit down in one of the lounges and talk? I'm sure you've got more questions."

Megu agreed enthusiastically, and the passage of a few minutes found them sitting in relative privacy. Their table was one of ten in an observation deck that overlooked one of the smaller challenge rinks, but as no-one was using it they had the deck to themselves. The bright glow Megu had felt on hearing Jun's praise of her skills and potential was still there, though it had died down enough for her to think seriously about other things.

"So tell me, Jun," she started. "How long did it take you to get pulled into the Nerima way of life? I know we didn't really get close to each other, while you were teaching me how to strengthen myself. But based on what I saw then, I wouldn't have expected you to be such a fighter now."

"It took a lot longer for me than for you," Jun said with a slight grin. "And honestly, Megu? I'm not as far into it as it probably seems."

Megu gave him a doubtful stare. "Two days ago you were fighting a rematch with Mousse, one of the top twenty young-adult fighters in Nerima. And it was a rematch because you _won_ the first fight."

He shrugged. "True, but I won it with one sneaky hit, using powers I was probably born with."

" 'Probably'?"

"Well, yeah. I've never in my life fit in with normal people. I was always interested in crafts, sewing, and things like that. I made a stuffed toy for my sister when I was only five years old. But... I don't _know_ how I became a Maestro. Was I born to be one, like Shinku thinks? Why? What does it all mean?"

Megu stared into her teacher's eyes. He wasn't in anguish over these questions; really, she wasn't even sure it would be accurate to use the word 'distress'. But it was clear that the questions were important to him. She didn't have any answers to give, so she did what she could—leaning forward and squeezing his hand. "You'll figure it out," she said encouragingly as she drew back. "And you aren't trying to do it all on your own. Think how fortunate you've already been! You could have been born in Africa or Australia or something, and never met any of the Rozen Maidens. You would have still been who you are, but without even a word to put to your nature."

"Believe me, you don't have to tell me how lucky I am to have met Shinku," Jun said fervently. "And everyone else too, of course."

"Even Suigin Tou?"

He took a moment to answer, but when he did he managed a tiny smile to go with his nod. "Yes. Even Suigin Tou."

"Were you thinking, 'that which does not kill me makes me stronger'?" Megu asked shrewdly.

"Er... if I was, wouldn't it be smarter _not_ to say that to her medium's face?"

"I suppose we can leave it like that," she said. _'I bet it won't take much longer to master this technique, of knowing things without being told. Ha, I wonder if right now Natsume is telling Uryu that she didn't stop at the kiss after all, that he really is going to be a father.'_

* * *

For the fifth time in five minutes, Uryu squinted through the cloud of snowflakes that should have been blinding and located his target without difficulty. He knew he hadn't gotten good enough for this level of success, so the issue must be on Natsume's side. Her aura wasn't matching the snow screen nearly as well as it had at first. A quick dash through the snow brought him close enough to see her face, and caught her enough by surprise that he had one instant to see her true, unguarded state. "Ah... Natsume?" he asked tentatively. "Is something wrong? You look... anxious."

"I... suppose I am." The young woman took a deep breath. "There's something I need to tell you. Something about Friday. I hope... hope it will be good news, a good surprise... hope you won't be angry..."

Sweat prickled Uryu's brow as he thought back to his conversation with Megu. "R- Really? A surprise from Friday?" he asked. Swallowing and forcing a ghastly grin that did absolutely nothing to reassure Natsume, he croaked out, "Let's hear it!"

She closed her eyes and stood trembling for long moments, obviously screwing her courage to the sticking place... and then, in one convulsive movement, whipped an object out of storage.

He blinked, staring at it. "What...?"

"I hope this isn't presumptious!" she said desperately, eyes still closed, hands clenched tight around the superbly-crafted longbow. "I know your family makes their own weapons! But I wanted to replace the one I broke, so I purchased the best I could find. Even... even if you don't wish to use it in battle, please accept it as a keepsake... a token of affec—MMPH!"

If Uryu could have laughed in relief and kissed her at the same time, he would have. As it was, he settled for the more satisfying course.

* * *

_'Now, if I were really good, I could predict whether she's having a boy or a girl,'_ Megu thought.

Jun cleared his throat. "So... earlier you said you had questions about why I fought Mousse like I did."

"Yes. You won your first battle against him effortlessly, by using your Maestro powers to wrap him in a cage of stuff. From what I understand, almost everything that he did in the rematch was designed to not give you that opening again. And I can certainly understand how he must have felt the first time, after giving you such an easy victory."

"I haven't heard a question yet."

"I was setting it up. Here it is: today you showed me with Shinku's petals that you can store things in subspace too—so why didn't you just bring your own set of weapons and tie him up again? Why did you give him, give _everyone_ that dramatic, hard-fought battle?" She coughed demurely, looking off to the side. "I think someone might not have been entirely honest, about not being caught up in the Nerima way of life."

"I didn't say I wasn't caught up in it," he noted. "Just that I wasn't as much as you probably thought."

"Hmm. I see."

"Actually, I don't think you do," Jun said quietly. "There's a difference between using my opponent's own weapons to do something like that, and bringing my own. To me, it's a big difference, but that's probably not true for most people."

"Well, I can only speak for myself," Megu admitted, "but it seems like a very small difference to me. In fact, the only real difference between them that I can see, is that by sticking to the first one you're giving yourself something of a handicap." She flashed him a teasing grin. "You know, something that would make the match more challenging and more intense. As someone told me on my first visit here, 'the harder the fight, the more satisfying it is when you win—and the less disappointing it is if you lose'."

"Definitely less than a year before she'll be challenging me," Jun muttered under his breath.

"Pardon?"

Louder, he said, "Megu, that's not it. Not for me, anyway. The reason I take other people's weapons away and don't use my own... it doesn't have anything to do with wanting more of a challenge or a thrill. It comes from things that happened long before I heard of Nerima... in fact, even before you met Suigin Tou."

She blinked. "That far back? You weren't a fighter at all then, were you?"

"Not this kind of fighter," he corrected. "But I had my own battles, and for the most part I did win them.

"But they weren't the kind of challenges that people around here live for. I had to learn to stop being afraid of failing, of letting other people close to me or having them depend on me. Because Shinku, Hina Ichigo, Suisei Seki... they _needed_ me, in different ways and for different things. I couldn't see it at first, which was probably just as well—it would've scared me to death and I would've shoved them all away just like I had the 'real' world."

"That almost sounds like Suigin Tou, a little," Megu interjected. "Because it took her some time to accept how much I needed her, and to care back enough to do what it took to help me. I think you've got more in common with her than you realize, Jun."

"Maybe. And Suigin Tou's a perfect example of where I'm going with this." Jun took a deep breath. "There are so many things about Rozen I still don't understand. Why did he make his dolls the way he did? Why did he tell them to fight each other, to _kill_ each other, in order to see him again? Why did he hurt them so much? Shinku... Sousei Seki... Suigin Tou worst of all." He clenched his fists and spoke through gritted teeth. "They're all so different, and each one is so beautiful in her own way... there's so many different things they could be, so much of life they could experience—but it's like he gave that with one hand and snatched it away with the other, by telling them to just be _weapons_."

"I never thought of it in those terms," Megu admitted. "Don't you think it's a little harsh? After all, he told them eventually that it wasn't true."

Jun shook his head. "He lied to them when he made them, let it stand for hundreds of years, and only changed his tune after someone else interfered and ruined everything. If anything, Megu, I'm not being harsh enough. Based on everything we can see, he's a damned poor excuse for a father." He let the sentence hang there in the air for a few moments, then added, "Even now I'm not sure if the reason he told them about other ways to Alice was because of Enju... or me."

"You?" she asked, giving him a skeptical look. "Weren't you all of fourteen years old then?"

"You weren't there, to see the last fight between Shinku and Bara Suishou." Pain rose up in Jun's gaze, enough that Megu reached out and clasped his hand once more. He gave her the faintest of grateful smiles. "I was. And so was Enju, except we thought he _was_ Rozen. Shinku had Bara Suishou down, and would have killed her. Would have destroyed her for what she'd done, and to please the man she thought was watching.

"But when I asked her to, she stopped. She chose not to kill her last sister." Jun's free hand clamped the table, clenching it hard enough to warp the wooden surface. "And then Bara Suishou took advantage and stuck a crystal dagger through her chest, and threw Shinku aside like she was garbage. And as she... as she... died... she reached out to _me_. _Not_ 'Rozen'."

* * *

After a long moment of silence, Shinku asked plaintively, "Must you really put it like that?"

"What, you'd like me to sugarcoat it?" Suigin Tou spat back. "Were you even listening to what I said just now? To what I... admitted...?"

"Yes, I did, but..." Shinku closed her eyes and exhaled a noisy breath. "I am sorry," she said, sitting carefully down a short distance away from her sister. "I came here to help you, not justify myself."

"Help." Suigin Tou laughed humorlessly and closed her eyes. "What kind of help would that be, I wonder? To melt some snow and heat it even more, dump it over yourself, and remind me that a whole body is just a quick swim away? To tell me it's all right if those unformed thoughts, those moments of _longing_, keep on growing until theysweep the rest of me aside?"

"None of that. Those choices are yours to make as you will, and I have no intention of pushing or pulling you. All I want to do is tell you some things before you find them out the hard way."

" 'The hard way'?" Suigin Tou echoed in disbelief. "I'd say I'm already experiencing that, thank you very much!"

"I promise you, things could be much worse," Shinku retorted. "As you have said, you cannot even count how many young men are clamoring for your attention and favor, all of them hoping you'll turn your back on Alice to embrace them instead." She watched the full-body shiver which ran from Suigin Tou's hair down to her toes, then said, "You don't imagine all of them are chasing you for the same reason, do you?"

Suigin Tou stared blankly back at her. "Er, yes, I do. Because they..." she swallowed, "...want me. That desire... it's like a flame, burning so bright and fierce... after what happened to me, even the thought of fire ought to push me away, but there's this one stubborn, _stupid_ part that wants to draw near... just like a moth..."

_'Such poetic words... honestly, is she trying to come up with good material for a future volume of the manga?'_ Aloud, Shinku said briskly, "Yes, yes, they pursue you because they desire you. Let me rephrase my question: do you think that desire looks the same for all your admirers? That in all cases it grows from the same roots?"

The First Doll gave her another stare. "I... I don't suppose I ever really thought about it... How would I know anyway?" she asked, grimacing as she supplied an answer to her own question: "Sit down with the more impressive would-be suitors one by one, and have long, intimate chats?"

"There are other ways, other people you could ask for help. Megu, for instance. Did it never cross your mind to have her serve as your intermediary?"

"Yes. I tried, and it failed utterly. That last trip to Nerima was the first time she and I went together. I was certain that with her there, they would ignore me in favor of a more appropriate target."

"I did not mean use her as a decoy, but rather have _her_ hold those conversations. And who are you trying to deceive? I know your understanding of people is not so poor; after seeing what enthusiasm you provoked, you couldn't have thought _everyone_ would forsake you for Megu."

"I'm telling you, I did!"

"I do not believe it. Although, if you told me that part of you hoped it was true, while another part feared it would be and wanted to know for sure... _That_, I would believe."

"Shinku—! " Suigin Tou growled, her wing rearing up and brandishing the cactus. "The only reason I don't smash this plant over your head, is because it deserves better than that! Not that you do!"

"Come now, you've as good as admitted part of you was pleased at what happened. That Megu's presence didn't make everyone 'wake up' and realize you were not as desirable as they first thought."

"Damn it, I thought you were supposed to tell me things I didn't already know!" Suigin Tou's eyes widened as the impassioned protest slipped out. She fought the impulse to clap her hands over her treacherous lips, then, with somewhat more difficulty, the impulse to bring her other wing around for a quick knockout attempt. _'So help me, if she says __**one**__**word**__...'_

Shinku nodded, generously—or prudently**—**opting not to explore the ramifications of her sister's statement. "I am, but I'm trying to lead into that gently."

Suigin Tou snorted as loud as anyone had ever heardfrom her. Coincidentally or not, at the same moment a gust of wind blew Shinku's hair into her eyes. "Spit it out, or leave. I don't suppose you've noticed, but so far your little visit has done more harm than good."

"What?" Shinku asked, blinking.

Suigin Tou replied without words, standing and raising one hand to point at the sky. Obediently, Shinku stood as well and looked up, gasping in shockat the clouds overhead. She couldn't tell if they were admitting less light, but they had undoubtedly grown thicker since her last inspection. Worse, here and there they rolled with faint but ominous motion.

The Fifth Doll looked down again, and Suigin Tou flinched at the look on her face. She had seen Shinku register worse shock and pain before, but only twice—once when she crushed her sister's original brooch, and once after she tore Shinku's arm away. Witnessing such emotion now, because _Shinku_ thought she'd hurt _her_... Her next sarcastic comment withered and died in Suigin Tou's throat.

"I am sorry," Shinku said bitterly, turning away. "I should not have assumed I was so competent, so qualified to talk to you. Please... please forgive me."

The space around her began to twist, as one foot came up for a step that would take her hundreds of feet away. When a hand grasped urgently at her shoulder before she could complete the move, Shinku stumbled and nearly fell flat on her face. Blinking tears away, she turned back to face Suigin Tou. The First Doll wasn't looking at her, but rather staring down and off to the side with her teeth clenched. "Suigin Tou?" Shinku asked.

"Don't," Suigin Tou replied thickly. She swallowed, then said a little more easily, "You picked a fine time to forget things I said earlier."

"I do not understand."

"The earlier turmoil in the sky, in my heart. Yes, I got rid of it, emptied myself of those feelings... but that didn't solve anything. It just gave me some relief. Some time to think without a hundred different emotions bombarding me." Suigin Tou sighed, then admitted, "I can do that again, as many times as I need to... but if I don't work matters out for good and all, I'll never really get better.

"So go ahead. Tell me everything you came to say. Help me... help me deal with these things. Push me at least enough that I'll admit truths to myself, even if I can't say them to you... I don't want answers from you, Shinku, but so far you've been useful to help me define the problems."

"Some of the things I have to say will hurt," Shinku warned.

Suigin Tou grimaced, then shrugged. "Fine. Now sit down. Sit," she repeated, pushing down with the hand that gripped her sister's shoulder. Rolling her eyes, Shinku did as she was instructed. "Good girl," Suigin Tou said as she made her own seat on a nearby rock.

Shinku took a moment to marshal her thoughts, then began. "I have heard stories of two other times you've visited Nerima, and Holie tells me you've sent Mei Mei to gather more information. I don't know how much you have learned about the district, but you must know that power matters very much indeed. Those who have it seek more, testing themselves against one another, always striving to learn and grow. Those who have none stand on the outskirts and look in with envy and longing, sometimes trying to join in, but the divide is so great that they're almost bound to fail."

Those words hit a little too close for Suigin Tou's comfort. Almost without realizing what she was doing she brought up a diversion, a question that had mystified her for some time now. "And yet with such a divide, neither Mei Mei nor I have ever seen a weakling get pushed around. Why is that?"

"There is only one rule that every master and grandmaster enforces, and it is the one that outlaws such actions. If that were allowed**, **Nerima would collapse in a matter of months," Shinku replied. "I mentioned envy and longing, but people being what they are, there is also resentment, which _must_ be minimized because it cannot be eliminated. Those who never learned what was possible until they were too old to begin effective training, those who would love to be able to leap from ground to rooftop but would never sacrifice the time and pain required... even in Nerima, normal people outnumber the martial artists and other empowereds five hundred to one or more. If they rejected these strangers in their midst, these people so far removed from them, everything we hope for would fail."

" 'We'?" Suigin Tou asked.

"If I didn't agree, do you think I would participate?" Shinku asked. "In any case, you are the Rozen Maiden best suited to understand those people's feelings. Standing on the outside, looking in, wishing to take part but fearing deep in your heart that you'll never be good enough..."

The First Doll gritted her teeth. "Is there a _reason_ you're spelling it out in such excruciating detail?!"

Shinku bowed her head. "Yes. Everyone who cares to learn about us, knows that the contract with a medium is formed and ended at the discretion of the Rozen Maiden. Fully half those boys who importuned you two days ago were ordinary children, or at best martial hobbyists with no real power and no likelihood of changing that... unless..."

Suigin Tou sucked in her breath, her eyes widening and her head giving one tiny, involuntary shake.

"...perhaps, they won the affections of someone who could provide them with a shortcut," Shinku continued remorselessly. "How _is_ Megu doing these days? She's become both powerful and versatile, has she not?"

"...I see," Suigin Tou replied, her voice tight and her eyes closed tighter. "Well then... thank you. I, I don't think it changes anything, though; the ones who have truly unsettled me have always been extraordinary people."

"Yes," Shinku murmured. "Those who know what it is to struggle, to reach for a prize that common sense would say is too far out of reach, who cast caution to the wind and charge ahead with all their might. Those who aren't afraid to give everything in a pursuit which might gain them nothing... because the harder it was to reach and take hold of the prize, the more glory there is in the winning of it. To be the one who succeeds when everyone else fails, and afterward to look at those others and say to them, 'I may not be able to defeat a Saotome, but I've won a contest that matters more than any challenge match!'"

Suigin Tou drew a long, ragged breath that nearly caught in her throat. "I understand," she choked out. "Is there anything else you...?" She couldn't finish the sentence, but the meaning was clear.

"I'm afraid so," Shinku said, grimacing when her sister flinched at the words. Steeling herself and pushing ahead, she continued, "You must know from Mei Mei that several of the high-profile male fighters have more than one woman in their life. By virtue of the Amazons providing a large pool of women not offended by the concept, plus the demographics of power, plus the general desires of men and boys, polygamy is accepted in Nerima. It's still quite rare, though... any man who thinks he can get that just because he wants it, is going to end up slapped silly and dumped like yesterday's garbage... or _into_ yesterday's garbage, more than likely."

"But... what does that have to do with...?"

Shinku sighed. "Well, Suigin Tou, if someone _did_ seduce you... how difficult would it really be for him to pull in Megu as well?"

Suigin Tou flinched so violently that Shinku half wondered if the mountain beneath them had twitched. The First Doll's posture tightened further, her arms crossing over her chest, her knees coming up and her shoulders dropping down as she curled nearly into the fetal position. The wing that did not hold the cactus curved around to hug her body as yet another barrier. The other wing held motionless, and power still flowed through it to sustain the small plant... but Shinku noticed, with growing alarm, that the color of the cactus was fading toward nothing, and the spines were growing almost quickly enough to watch.

"Thank you..." Her sister's voice—cold, controlled, and distant—wrenched Shinku's attention away from the plant. "I should have known. I shouldn't have had to hear it from you. But thank you for not leaving me to discover these things on my own. Thank you for giving me these truths, Shinku."

"Suigin Tou..."

"This... it hurts, but this pain... it's nothing less than I deserve. I should not have let these dreams draw me away from Father's ideal. I should never have listened to them... or at least I should have heard the truth behind their pleasant, comforting, _lying_ words..."

"Suigin Tou!"

"Damn it all, though... why, why does it hurt so much?"

"SUIGIN TOU!"

"WHAT?!"

"I'm finished with the bad news. That does not mean I am finished," Shinku said reprovingly. When her sister just sat there and blinked, she added, "Surely you remember how I teased you after watching Hiroto fluster you. Do you think I would have acted like that if _he _were just out to get what he could from you?"

"I... that is..." Suigin Tou spent a few moments struggling for composure and words. "What, then? Are you going to list good, wholesome, healthy reasons for them to chase me, to counteract the ones you've already given?"

"Yes, exactly," Shinku replied. "Though I should not have to. After all, you must have had at least a few ideas of your own, softer and kinder that the ones I wish I hadn't had to spell out...?"

"Hm. At first I just thought they were masochists and lunatics," the First Doll pronounced.

"You can do better than that, I'm sure," Shinku gently pressed.

"I can... I don't know... can I?" Suigin Tou shot back, her cheeks tinted an undeniable pink. "What I mean is... well... in those earlier visits, I thought I was as strange to them, as they were to me... or at least almost as strange, because people there could have met you... they might have some ideas, but they didn't really know _me_...

"But that's not true, is it? They, they do know me... a lot more of me than I knew had been revealed. If... well... someone sees that, takes that whole picture in, and, and says they like what they see... what else is there to say? How much closer can you _get_ to specific reasons?"

Shinku smiled, scooted over, and patted her sister on the arm. "Well done. Was that so hard?"

Suigin Tou's face had developed the tiniest hint of its own smile, but at these words it faded. "Yes," she whispered. "Speaking of such things, caring so much about them... it feels like one step closer to turning my back on Father's wish..."

"I cannot help you with that, sister. But I'll warn you—I do not know if that ought to be true or not, but if you believe it is, then true it shall be."

"...I see." Suigin Tou took a deep breath. "Any more bombshells you wish to drop on me? Any more words of great and terrible wisdom?"

"Yes," Shinku said soberly. "There—"

"You know, I really should stop asking questions like that," Suigin Tou commented.

Her sister smiled. "Perhaps you should," she agreed. "But there was one more reason I wished to share. One thought that would warm the hearts and stiffen the sinews of your suitors who are wise enough to grasp it."

"A good one?" Suigin Tou ventured. "You said you were through with the bad news."

"Hmm. Let us say, a commendable one," Shinku temporized. "Though I cannot promise that hearing it will give you peace or reassurance."

Suigin Tou grumbled a few choice phrases in German, then lapsed into silence. She gave her sister a half-expectant, half-hesitant look.

"I think you could guess this one yourself, if I gave you a few nudges," Shinku began. "You have already spoken of many of the pieces. The warmth you feel when someone looks at you with approval and desire... the answering desire which echoes within you, to be loved and cherished... the certain knowledge that you will face a crossroads, that you cannot pursue Father's desire for Alice while still holding out your hand for someone to love you as you are... the yearning for somebody who will come to you, not say you must cross all the distance to him..."

She noticed her sister's eyes narrow, but forged bravely ahead. "Those young men who are wise enough to consider such things, would know why it would be worth almost anything to win your heart. Because if you choose one of them, it means letting of everything you have had and known and lived for. A choice like that... a man ought to be both proud and humbled, to find himself worthy of it. Certainly he would know that he never need fear you changing your mind, or throwing him away later for someone stronger or prettier."

"I'd like to think they should be so confident," Suigin Tou said, her voice nearly inaudible. "But not for that reason. They should believe it from what they already know about me—how I have stood by Megu, and held nothing back that she needed or wanted."

"Yes, there is that as well," Shinku said with a smile.

"But... but those things are completely different, aren't they? Megu, my medium, my friend... caring for her doesn't disqualify me from becoming Alice. What all those humans want... that would show I _couldn't_ hold to my chosen course, that I gave up after fighting so long and hard... why shouldn't they think I would abandon them as well some day?" She shook her head. "You say that it's the wiser suitors who believe this? I, I don't think so, Shinku..."

"You are wrong," Shinku said calmly. "What are you trying to say? That if you do choose to love someone like that, it won't really be out of love for him at all, but as an act of hatred and rebellion toward Father?"

Suigin Tou recoiled like the words had been a slap. "No! Never!"

"Of course not. It will be because your heart waited too long in the cold and the darkness, longing for someone to draw you close and say that as you are now you do not lack anything. That you do not have to become perfect to be worth loving. If Father had said that..." Shinku sighed, then shook her head. "Well, that's simply not the way of things, however much we might wish otherwise."

The air all but sizzled with the force of Suigin Tou's glare. "Do not speak of Father like that!"

"You said that I was to help you see things as they are. And I have earned the right to speak," Shinku retorted, her tone hardening. "When I came to the brink of my own choice, I left Jun and everyone behind. I fled to the dark, empty N-field where Enju and Bara Suisho played out their masquerade, to the room where Jun called and Father answered, and I _screamed_ with everything I had for him to come to me. To say something, anything, to settle things one way or the other. I knew in my heart that I couldn't hold out any longer. My feelings for Jun had grown too strong, and now that I saw a way forward I was going to take it. Unless Father himself came to draw me back to him, I would choose Jun, and life as a human, embrace all these new uncertainties over the ones I'd carried for so long...

"And there was _nothing_. For twenty-four hours, not a whisper of sound, not a hint of light. It was the very last chance, Suigin Tou... if he had come then and asked me to go with him, to let go of everything else and become Alice, I could... I think I could have said yes. But afterward, my decision was made for good."

She spent a moment in quiet reminiscence, then sighed and continued. "Whoever becomes Alice will meet Father again. That is all he has ever wanted. A few times in the past, he picked us up and restored us, so that his dream could someday be realized—but now that Jun has grown strong enough to repair us, even that does not draw Father out. There is no need to reach down to us, and so he does not. I believe that only one thing might provoke him to show himself again, and that is if it looks like _everyone_ will make the same choice I did. Otherwise..." Shinku shook her head. "We are on our own."

Suigin Tou wasn't quite sure where the anger was. Surely there ought to be some, on hearing such a speech from her wayward sister... but all she could feel was a crushing weight of fear and grief. In a voice that was barely a whisper, she asked, "And do you still claim that you love Father?"

Despite the low volume, Shinku heard. All severity faded from her face, leaving behind gentleness and a sorrow that easily matched Suigin Tou's. "I do," she said. "Can you only love him if you imagine that he is perfect?"

* * *

"I never knew that," Megu breathed. "The manga doesn't go into that much detail. And Suigin Tou couldn't tell me, because she wasn't there to see." She thought about this for a moment, then added, "Which is probably just as well."

"No kidding," he muttered.

"Still, I think you might be a little more compassionate toward Rozen," she continued. "After all... you won, didn't you?"

"Won?"

"It's just like you told me. Shinku chose you and the new life you have together, found someone other than him to love. Rozen created seven incredible girls... but one of them has already turned her back on the very thing she was made for, and I don't think she'll be the last."

Jun stared bug-eyed at her. "You can't mean Suigin Tou is thinking that way now?!"

"No," Megu admitted. For a moment she was quiet, struggling with what to say next... then, stiffening her spine and summoning up courage, she said, "Not yet. But I can hope... hope that might change..."

"I'll ask Shinku what she thinks, after she gets back from spending today with her," Jun promised. "And Megu? I know you wouldn't want me to repeat what you said just now to Suigin Tou." She gave an involuntary nod. "I won't, and I'll tell you something you shouldn't repeat either: you're not the only one who feels that way. Shinku does too—I'm sure of it."

"Thank you, Jun," she said.

"You're welcome. So... if you didn't mean Suigin Tou, then who were you...?"

"Suisei Seki and Kanaria. I can't see them becoming Alice either. At least, not unless some other big change happens in their lives, to knock them onto a new course." Megu thought for a moment, the added, "Or unless the manga I read yesterday was making lots of stuff up."

"Oh, yeah. The manga," he said with a sigh. "No, everything that's in there is accurate."

_'He sounded awfully unenthusiastic.'_ But Megu supposed she couldn't blame him. If her first kiss had been captured for the world to see on a glorious two-page spread, full-color in a manga that was everwhere else black-and-white, that would probably bother her too. _'Come to think of it... I'm a character in there as well, even if I'm only in the last few volumes. That very thing could happen to me!'_

"Megu?" Jun asked. "Are you okay?"

"I was just thinking that once I do start dating, I need to make sure Suigin Tou never sends Mei Mei along to watch out for me."

"Good luck with that," he said sourly. "Shinku had to threaten Holie with water from the Spring of Drowned Sloth to get unchaperoned time with me."

Megu brightened. "Now there's a thought."

Silence fell over the table, and stretched for a little while.

"So—" Megu began.

"Then—" Jun said at the same time.

They stumbled to a halt, Jun chuckling sheepishly and Megu giving him a rueful smile. "After you," he said.

"Of course! Ladies first, after all. Ah..."

"You forgot what you were going to say, didn't you."

"Um... oh! Of course not! I was going to get back to what you were saying, concerning your feelings about Rozen and weapons and why you fight like you do. I'm still not totally clear on that."

"Well, that's probably not going to change," Jun warned. "_I'm_ not totally clear on it, even though Shinku and I have talked several times."

Megu sat silently, giving him an expectant look and waiting for him to continue.

"As best I can put it into words, it's about respect," he said quietly. He held his hands up before him, rotating them so that he stared first at the backs, then at the palms. "The very first day I met Shinku, I learned that plenty of other dolls had life. The ones that were made with particular care, great skill or great kindness... if a Rozen Maiden gave them just a tiny nudge, they would move and act. Even if they hadn't wanted to.

"I could... I could reach out and take hold of everything this table is, and the chairs we're sitting on, carpet from the floor under us, wood and plaster and electrical wiring from the walls. I could grab them all and mold them together into a statue, and if I put every bit of care and focus and desire I could into it, after I was done there'd be a spirit living inside. Maybe sleeping, maybe awake and even able to move. I don't know if I'm skilled enough do that even when I'm not inspired, but I do know that I can make something good enough for some kind of life to settle there. _I_ wouldn't have put that life there, but I'd have power over it anyway, since I made the vessel it lives in.

"It's a frightening responsibility, Megu." He clenched one hand, the blood fleeing his knuckles under the pressure. "Sometimes, in the dark hours of the morning, I think about the anger I feel toward Rozen. And I wonder if the biggest reason for it is that anything he did wrong, I could too someday."

"I wouldn't want such a responsibility," she agreed. Then, forcing a grin, she added, "You should have told me this earlier! Then I wouldn't have felt jealous at all, when you were using your Maestro powers instead of the Rose Bond in our spar."

The joke failed to appreciably lighten her sensei's mood. "Does it make sense to you, why I did that? Why I fight using these powers, even though abusing them scares me?"

"I can guess," Megu said gently. "I remember how you talked on Friday, about that dragon you brought in and then set free. You can't _not_ use your Maestro powers at all, can you? And since that's true, since you have to use them, you want to understand them... and the only way you can learn is by trying." She watched as Jun nodded in agreement, then added, "Unless Rozen were to appear and share what he knew. That would help, I'm sure."

The nodding stopped abruptly. All of a sudden, Jun looked as stunned as if she'd blasted him with another Misandry Missile. "Jun?" she asked in concern.

"I... Megu, I think I just realized another of the reasons why I get angry these days when I think of him," Jun said, still looking a bit blindsided.

"Oh? I would say 'happy to help', but I'm not sure this will help you any," Megu confessed.

"Maybe not. Not unless Rozen was watching right now and hearing that made him put in another appearance," her sensei half-joked.

Silence stretched in the wake of that statement, increasingly tense as the moments slipped past...

The tension was finally broken as Jun sighed, and continued, "So, anyway. As a Maestro, I set some rules for myself. If something's got an intended purpose, I can make it better at that, or change it to do it a different way. I won't make things into weapons, or even buy weapons that other people have made. The most I'll do is let Shinku convince me to accept a stash of her petals."

As he spoke, his voice gained in power and determination. "And in that moment when I put the last touches on a design that's come into my mind out of I-don't-know-where, when the body is complete and I feel the life well up within it, when I _could_ put hooks and chains into it so it believes what I want and hears only my voice... that, I will never, _ever_ do!"

"Wow..." Megu breathed, staring starry-eyed at him.

_'Uh-oh. She's looking at me just like Noriko did, the day before she announced that she wasn't going to let Shinku discourage her from going after me too.'_ Jun broke out into a cold sweat. He and Shinku had resolved that situation swiftly (if a bit brutally), but shattering a schoolgirl crush was a lot simpler when the girl didn't have a history like Megu or a supporter like Suigin Tou. _'Crap! Being three years younger than her ought to have meant I was safe! I never should have forced myself to grow this tall! Okay, quick, think of something to say so that I don't seem so attractive.'_

"Enough about me!" Jun said, emphatically enough to make Megu jump in her seat. "I want to hear about you, how you're adjusting and how you and Suigin Tou are doing these days." As if dimly sensing that this might not have accomplished its intended purpose, he added, "Is there anything _Shinku and I_ can do to help with that?"

"Maybe..." Megu said, looking at him with a consideration that spiked Jun's nervousness higher. "I'll get back to you on that, all right?"

"Sure!" he replied, wiping sweat off his brow. "No point in rushing into things!"

"Yes," she murmured, looking past him and off into the distance, her eyes losing focus. Then she gave her head a brisk shake, and met his gaze again. "I don't need to charge as fast and fiercely as I can. Sometimes I feel like doing just that, and maybe it's a good thing every once in a while. But I don't have to race blindly forward for fear of never getting anywhere if I don't. I _am_ changing now, after so long when I didn't. And... I like that very, very much."

Jun said nothing, just gave her an encouraging smile. Megu paused for thought for a few moments, then continued. "You asked how both Suigin Tou and I were doing. And what I just said... it's one more thing that links her and me, that is the same in some ways and different in others. Like I said, I'm _happy_ to see how I'm growing, moving, becoming something new. And when I see the same thing in Suigin Tou..."

"Has she really changed that much?" he wanted to know.

"As much as me?" Megu shook her head. "No. And the ways she has, and continues to do, aren't the same as me. At least not completely. But they're similar in many ways. And... and although I know she's not nearly as comfortable as I am with all this, I can say for sure that what I see in her is a good thing. Just as good as what I see in my own life. And sometimes, when I really stop and think about it all... when I think about how I could never have been who I am today without her, and then turn that around and think that maybe without me, she couldn't have changed like this either..."

She fell silent, once again looking past him. She wasn't sure how much time passed before she woke out of the reverie, to find Jun regarding her with a curious expression. There was a warmth there that she'd never seen him direct toward her, which brought a tint of pink to her cheeks. "Um... Jun? What are you thinking about now?" she asked.

"Just remembering something. A good memory with my sister, Nori. You reminded me of her, just now."

Megu blinked. "Your sister? Well, I suppose she is the same age as me, but other than that... what's the resemblance?"

Jun gave her another warm smile, then turned his attention to the tabletop. He gently slid one hand over a patch in front of him, causing the wood to swell into a raised likeness that Megu recognized as her own face. But the expression on the face... the look of wonder, of happiness, of joy... She had certainly never seen _that_ when she looked into a mirror!

"That's what you looked like, just now," he said. "That's what I saw, when you thought about how you were able to help someone who was important to you. It's the same thing I saw in Nori's dream once, when Suisei Seki dragged me into it to show me exactly that, without any barriers—what Nori felt to know that I'd finally beaten all the pain and fear and despair, and that she'd helped me do it. Dream-Nori had that same look of joy."

"Yes, that is how I feel," Megu said softly. "Although..." as she returned to a normal tone of voice, "now you've gotten me curious. You say Suisei Seki 'dragged' you there?"

"Yeah, she waited until Nori and I were both asleep, and did it without asking either of us."

"Why did she do that?"

Jun shrugged. "Honestly, I never got a straight answer out of her. She and Shinku were squabbling at the time—or rather, Suisei Seki kept starting things only to have Shinku put her in her place. I think she was trying to get me to pay more attention to Nori so I'd be paying less to Shinku, or something like that."

"That little Gardener can be devious when she wants to be," Megu agreed. "Or at least, that's what I saw as I read through the manga."

This time, Jun managed a rueful grin. "And like I said, the stuff in there is accurate."

"I think... I think I'd like to meet her," she continued thoughtfully. "Her, and her twin, and Hina Ichigo too. And I'd like to spend more time with Shinku, get to know her better than the glimpses I was able to see on Friday. If things go well today between her and Suigin Tou, that should be all right, shouldn't it?"

"I don't see why not," Jun answered. "You left out Kanaria, though. Why was that?" Then he grinned. "Was it just your way of keeping up with the running gag about everyone forgetting her name? I still don't know how Holie and Mei Mei managed to sneak that into the manga right under her nose."

Megu giggled. "That _is_ a good question, isn't it? But I didn't mention her because we already met. She's a little too... eccentric... for me to want to spend time around her when I don't have plenty of energy to sustain me."

"Or when you don't have Suigin Tou with you to keep her in line."

"Yes, exactly," she said with a smile. "My angel watches out for me and does things to help me... and when I see the chance, I do the same for her..."

Something about her thoughtful tone of voice and the speculative look in her eyes sent another prickle down Jun's back. "Megu... is there something you're thinking about doing for her now?" _'And do I really want to ask?'_

"I think so... not so much that _I_ can do something, more that I can ask _you_ to do something for her."

"And what would that be?"

Megu took a deep breath, and committed herself. "Pursue her like those other boys are. Flirt with her, draw her toward you and away from Rozen and the ending of Alice. You're a Maestro too, and you've already taken Shinku for yourself—if anyone can succeed at this, you can!"

She paused and studied him, taking in the effect of her words. His face was as pale as hers had been in her hospital days. His eyes were wide enough that she thought she could glimpse a hint of white outside the rims of his glasses. His hands were once again clenching the table hard enough to twist the wood beneath them. Not too promising a response, Megu realized, but at least it wasn't anger and instant refusal.

After a long, long moment of silence, Jun got his voice working again. "Kakizaki-san..." Another pause, as he sought for more words.

_'Not 'Megu' anymore?'_ Another not-so-good sign, she realized, and reached deeper into herself for resolve.

After considering and discarding three approaches, he settled for, "How can you _possibly_ think that's a good idea?!"

"How can I not?" she fired back with spirit, pulling a volume of the Rozen Maiden manga out of her bag and slapping it down onto the table. "I've read all of these, and you confirmed that everything in them happened like they said! I know there's plenty that isn't in there, and maybe if I knew some of those things I would think differently. If that's true, tell me what those things are—but don't expect me to change my mind without some kind of reason!"

"Me being _engaged_ to Shinku isn't a reason?! Just because we haven't married yet, doesn't mean that it's a question of 'if'! Only 'when'!"

"Okay, I see where I should have been clearer," she said, relaxing and offering Jun a contrite look. "I should have agreed with what you said earlier, and stated that this was something _you and Shinku_ could do."

Jun massaged his temples for a moment. "So now you're asking Shinku and me to chase her together? Megu... no. Just... no."

" 'No' is right," she riposted. "That wasn't what I was asking! I want _you_ to chase her, and _Shinku_ to let you!"

"Okay, you're just asking for a hurricane, not a tsunami." Jun took a few deep breaths, then said, "Putting aside the question of why Shinku would agree to such a thing... why would you ask _me_, of all people? Just because I'm a Maestro?"

Megu blinked. _'That last question sounded a little... disappointed? But I can't blame him, if he thinks I'm only thinking about that.'_ Aloud, she said, "No. That's not the reason, just a part of it. Just like being a Maestro is only a part of you."

Seeing Jun was waiting for her to continue, she took a deep breath and said, "Let me tell you what I think. I think that if you _did_ join in the chase, it would fluster her more than everyone else combined. You are a Maestro too, but unlike Enju you'd be disgusted at the idea of breaking her father's works to prove you'd surpassed him. No, what _you _do is about as far from breaking and tearing down as you can possibly get.

"You've already seduced one Rozen Maiden away from the goal of Alice for good and for all—the very one of her sisters that Suigin Tou has always tried to surpass! What do you think it would say to her, to see you go from being satisfied with just Shinku to saying you wanted, _needed_ her too? Don't you think there'd be a part of her who wanted to say yes just because of that? Because to her, it would be an important victory over Shinku... in a fight that wasn't a shadow of the Alice Game?"

"How is it a victory if I'm only chasing after her because Shinku said it was okay?"

"Well, obviously we wouldn't let Suigin Tou know about that part. In fact, if Shinku could pretend to be upset about you wanting Suigin Tou as well, I think that would help."

"So we've got outright lies to go along with manipulation. That's a great foundation you're trying to lay for your angel's future," Jun said sarcastically.

Megu flinched back, then balled her fists and spoke angrily. "Jun, I'm trying my best here! If I'm wrong tell me so, but please try to do it a little more gently!"

"Even if that's not as effective?" he shot back. "If you want to be a part of Nerima, you'd better prepare yourself for much harsher lessons than this."

The girl fumed quietly for a few moments, then forced away the worst of her frustration with a sigh. "Point taken. Or both your points, I guess. You wanted to make it very clear to me that you don't think my idea is a good one. I'd like to hear your reasons."

"You already did. That bit about manipulation and lies wasn't just a snarky comment," he said. "You're asking me to tell Suigin Tou I want her, when the truth is that I don't. There's just no way that could end well!"

"Couldn't it? When you first met Shinku, you certainly didn't think you'd want to spend your whole life with her! Why can't you give Suigin Tou that same chance?" On seeing Jun grimace and start to shake his head, Megu sped up. "Just think about it! If you can't do what I'm asking now with a good conscience, then let's start simpler! If I ask her if she and I can spend time with you and Shinku outside Nerima, I'm sure she'll say yes. You can interact with her in ways that you haven't before, get to know her in a new way. Who knows, maybe in a month or two you'll be happy to chase her seriously!"

"No," he said flatly. "I don't mind the idea of spending time with her, at least if it doesn't blow up in my face like it _always_ has in the past. Heck, I could even put up with a few more explosions if it helps her lay her demons to rest. But I'm absolutely not open to anything more than friendship with her."

"You won't even try? Can't even _consider_ trying?"

"No," Jun pronounced. "Why are you so determined for it to be me, anyway? Why should you try to change how I feel, when there's so many strong, decent guys who already want her?"

"But none of them are a Maestro, or have someone as important to her as Shinku is with them, to welcome her in and help her adjust!"

"But they do want her like that, and I don't."

Megu's shoulders slumped and she stared blindly down at the table in front of her.

"I can promise you, that's more important," he continued, trying to cheer her up. "It's true that being a Maestro is one of the things Shinku loves about me... but it's not the most important reason." For a moment he studied the manga lying on the table in front of him, then picked it up and flipped through it. Sure enough, this volume was the one that had the scene he was thinking of. "Here... look at this."

The raven-haired girl dragged her head upright again and accepted the book. She stared at the page, identifying the scene Jun had turned to. Laplace had been destroyed, Jun and Shinku had heard the first fateful mention of Furinkan and Nerima, and now Shinku and Nori sat in the kitchen chatting over tea. She read again the words that chilled her more each time she saw them: _'Becoming Alice means your old life, your old self, would be gone for good. All that you have, all that you are, lost to become the vision he carries in his heart.'_

"What am I supposed to see here?" she asked. "I was actually thinking about showing this scene to you, to support my position. This is the single most clear-cut place about what it really costs to become Alice. I'll give _anything_ to let Suigin Tou see she doesn't have to do that!"

"This is where Nori really accepted that Shinku and I might be together for my whole life," Jun said quietly. "That I wouldn't set her aside for a 'real' girl once I grew up enough. And the reason she did was that even though Shinku couldn't be a normal kind of wife, we could still have children together. It's just that they would have been dolls as well, created by me with knowledge and help from her, and raised by us being a real Father and Mother.

"Nori was thinking about things like that before either of us were, although she didn't tell me until much later. And... she was right. We _could_ have done that, even if Jusenkyo didn't exist or we'd never heard of it. And as my Maestro powers keep on growing and I learn more about them, someday I'll be able to change Shinku's doll body instead of just repairing it. I'm pretty sure that in a few more years I could grow her to the size of an ordinary woman." Jun blushed and looked away, coughing as he said, "And although somehow I know I can't give her a functioning womb, I could make... certain related activities... possible."

"What exactly is your point?" Megu asked, fighting her own blush.

"That I could have done all of that, with my abilities as a Maestro. But that's not what she wanted," Jun said. "She chose Jusenkyo. It wasn't her giving up on one Maestro because another one snatched her away. She took a path that wasn't related to the powers that defined her life until then. Shinku, as a _person_, chose to come as close to me as _she _could. And I'm doing the same thing, changing in ways that wouldn't necessarily have been my first choice, so I can be closer to her." He managed a slight grin. "Hence my involvement in Nerima."

"I see."

"Do you?" Jun shot back. "Then why don't you think Suigin Tou deserves her own chance at that kind of relationship?"

Megu was silent for a long moment, then heaved a morose sigh. "I guess you're right. What I was asking really wouldn't be the same at all."

"There's just no way I can give someone else what I already gave away to Shinku," Jun confirmed. "It's true that polygamy is an option in Nerima... but as far as I've seen, the only times it works is when the relationships develop at the same time."

"I don't think that should be true," she protested. Jun just gazed steadily back at her, and eventually she admitted, "But I suppose that doesn't mean it isn't. Or maybe it's just usually true, but that's bad enough. Suigin Tou certainly deserves better than one chance in ten, or whatever the odds are."

"Right. So..." Jun coughed and looked away. "If someone happened to be thinking that she might first get her sister and best friend happily hooked up with a good man, and once that relationship was safely established and she'd seen what she could expect then she'd try to slide her way in as _another_ partner for him... let's just say that would be the kind of plan that crashes and burns fairly often in this town."

Megu stared wide-eyed at her sensei, jaw gaping feebly. _'I guess I'm not the only one who can know something without being told it,'_ she thought.

"Hypothetically speaking, of course," he added, continuing to look away and giving her time to recover her dignity.

"O- Of course," she agreed.

Once she had scraped most of her composure back together, she said, "All right, Jun. You've convinced me that what I wanted to do isn't a good idea after all. Do you have any ideas on how you _could_ help her?"

Jun shrugged. "If there's ever a guy who manages to work his way close enough to her, I can challenge him and beat the crud out of him. If she's feeling sympathetic, that ought to lower her guard and let our prince on a white horse cover a little more ground."

"And if _he_ beat the crud out of _you_, that could make him look attractive to her for a completely different reason."

"Yeah, I guess. But everyone I know who can do that is already engaged or married. Besides, if Suigin Tou's anything like Shinku in this area, she'll want someone who's strong but not as strong as her."

"Maybe you're right," Megu allowed. "Even if Shinku tried to be as gentle and kind as she could be, every time she dealt with Suigin Tou it was from a position of strength. My angel probably _could_ use a change from that."

* * *

For a long moment all was technically silent, though Shinku's question seemed to echo between earth and sky.

Then Suigin Tou reared her head back and _screamed_.

Shinku had already begun moving, reaching a tentative hand toward her sister's shoulder. But at this she jerked back, reflexes both old and new prompting her to get some distance between herself and Suigin Tou. The air itself had begun to churn violently in concert with the First Doll's cry, winds moaning and snowflakes coalescing into hard pellets of ice that whipped round and round as they fell.

Nor was this physical violence the end of it. Before she knew what had happened Shinku was shielding herself, blocking some kind of psychic drain. The technique had little in common with the chi-theft she'd experienced when fighting Miss Hinako, but it was similar enough that she knew that Suigin Tou was trying to pull _something_ out of her, and that whatever it was she could resist.

She had no intention of trusting herself to the air just then. A blurring step took her ten feet farther up the mountain, positioned behind and to the left of Suigin Tou. Petals infused with strength whirled around her, white rather than crimson to blend in with the driving ice and snow. Shinku spared one moment to regret not knowing when to quit pushing her luck, then focused everything on her sister. She didn't want to cut and run, but if Suigin Tou was serious about attacking, retreat was probably the best of a bad set of options.

The First Doll had left the ground behind, and was now floating at a height which placed her roughly equal with Shinku. If she had noticed her sister's disappearance, she gave no sign of it. She held steady in that position despite the winds that whipped around her, as her dress flared and countless black feathers were pulled from her wings. Shinku squinted through the storm, doing her best to track all the feathers and prevent a sneak attack from behind, while at the same time wondering whether Suigin Tou's wings were truly shrinking under the loss of pinions.

As the seconds ticked by and nothing changed, Shinku began to suspect that she might have retreated too quickly. Out of all this tumult, the only thing that felt like an attack against her was the mysterious blocked drain. She still could not identify it, but by now she had realized one thing: whatever this was, it didn't feel nearly as debilitating as Miss Hinako's technique.

A few more seconds passed, with still no change. Shinku took a deep breath and summoned a single petal, one that was tied as strongly to her as she was capable of. Although she was still shielding herself from whatever Suigin Tou was doing, the bloom was not so protected. That one tiny piece of Shinku was exposed to Suigin Tou's full force, and then the Fifth Doll had her answer.

She let out a sigh of relief. _'Not an attack at all,'_ she realized. It had been _sadness_ that was drawn out of the petal. Her sister was just doing what she had described earlier, drawing out and destroying the grief that their conversation had provoked in her. _'I do not think it was a mistake, to say to her what I did. Still, I wish my words had not made her feel such a resort was necessary,'_ Shinku thought regretfully.

Then she blinked, realizing that in that moment—when she felt sadness of her own—it had become significantly harder to keep up her defense against the drain. _'Do I even need to maintain it?'_ she wondered. _'Suigin Tou must have heard echoes of my own pain, as I explained those things to her. She could be deliberately trying to help both of us.'_

She hesitated for a moment, then shifted further to one side, to a position which let her see Suigin Tou's face. The First Doll's head was tilted back and her eyes were screwed shut. Tears streamed down her cheeks, falling away to mingle with the sleet. Her hands were tightly clenched and she was trembling slightly. All in all, it was clear that she spared not a thought for Shinku at the moment.

If Suigin Tou had been looking at her, perhaps she would have dropped her shield. But as the minutes passed with no sign that her sister cared one way or the other, or even that she remembered Shinku's presence at all, the Fifth Doll never quite managed to surrender that barrier. Eventually, the issue became a moot point. Suigin Tou released a long sigh that blended with one final moan of the wind, then sank to the ground as the gale died and the sleet was replaced by gentle drifting snowflakes.

Feeling strangely guilty, Shinku hurried over complete the gesture that had been interrupted. "Suigin Tou?" she ventured as she placed her hand on her sibling's shoulder. "Are you all right?"

Suigin Tou's eyes opened and she smiled at her sister, an expression that nearly had Shinku staggering back again. Not out of fear or need for defense, but because it was as if four hundred years and more had been rolled back. She had never, _ever_ expected again to see such a look of gentleness and purity from her oldest sibling.

"Yes, I am," the First Doll replied, bringing her hand up to clasp Shinku's arm. "Not forever, not yet. I won't feel this much peace for long, but it is good to have it now. Good to have something to help me stand, as I grow stronger on my own. One day, I won't need this for myself any more... but maybe then I can extend such aid to others."

"I see. I am glad," Shinku murmured.

"Good. There is something I need to say to you now, while I still can."

"While you still can?"

"I expect you'll understand once I say it, why I might not be able to speak such things in a normal frame of mind."

"If it's something you do not truly feel, then you should not feel that you need say it now," Shinku advised.

The First Doll shook her head. "I'll say it now because it _is_ true now, and one day it will be true all the time." She paused, gave her sister another smile, then said, "I forgive you. For all the ways you hurt me when you meant to. Even more than that, for the ways you hurt me when you did _not_ mean to, before I had ever given you reason to hate or fear me. For being stronger and prettier than me, for always being so far ahead of me, and for the fact that I may _never_ change that. For being Father's favorite, and leaving that to walk away on your own path. For all the pain I've ever felt because of you, whether you meant to cause it or not. And I hope that you can give me that same kind of forgiveness."

"I already did, a long time ago," Shinku replied instantly. "I would have told you, if I thought I could say it without you feeling wounded or insulted." She paused for a moment, her hand squeezing harder on her sister's shoulder, then gently let go and added, "And I'll gladly acknowledge that you forgiving me stands as a greater thing than me extending forgiveness to you."

"That will probably be of some comfort to me, once I'm back in my usual mood," Suigin Tou mused. "And it's certainly true enough."

Shinku held back a wince. Hearing that _now_, even after her sister had emptied herself of all spite and bitterness... _'Perhaps it was a mistake, not letting her draw out my own feelings of sadness and regret.'_

"I did not mean that to accuse you, Shinku," Suigin Tou reassured her. Apparently dumping all her negative emotions had left her more perceptive as well as more at peace. "If anything, it is the other way around. What hurt I caused you was deliberate and exactly as intended. There was never anything I did that you took the wrong way and endured pain because of it, and there was never a time when my very existence made you feel worthless." She shook her head, her gaze shifting beyond Shinku to the horizon. "So much of my pain... is it even fair to say you caused it at all? Or was it myself all along?"

Shinku shook her head. "If nothing else, you suffered a great deal of it because for so long you could not accept having anyone stand with you and help you. And I feel that the reasons for that must lie at my feet. Mine and Sousei Seki's, anyway."

"Well, like I said before, I forgive you. For mistakes you made with good intentions. For times when you were deliberately hurtful. For always being so far ahead of me. For abandoning Father's ideal... and hoping others will too."

Suigin Tou followed those last words with a long, calm stare. Shinku took a deep breath and met the gaze, saying nothing in reply, and it was the First Doll who broke the silence again. "I'll even forgive you for the manga, for putting out my story for all the world to see without asking me first."

"Eh?" Shinku hadn't flinched when her true feelings about Alice were exposed, but this last pardon had her blinking and mystified. "You'll forgive me for the manga? There were already eight volumes out before I noticed, and by then it was too late to do anything."

"What are you talking about?" Suigin Tou asked. "You're the one who wrote it... aren't you?"

Shinku swallowed a quiet snort of amusement. _'It's not exactly painful, but apparently there has been at least one time when Suigin Tou did something that could offend me without meaning to.'_ She held up her hand and said, "Holie!" The nachtgeist appeared and spun in a quick circle above Shinku's hand, summoning a copy of _Rozen Maiden Volume 1_ that dropped to land in her palm. She opened it to the title page and held it out to Suigin Tou.

The First Doll accepted the offering and studied it for a long, silent moment.

"If you're going to ask me how it ended up titled _Rozen Maiden_ and not _The Adventures of Kanaria_, please be advised I have no idea," Shinku said.

"I suspect it has something to do with the four names listed as 'source credit'," Suigin Tou said evenly. She regarded Holie with a stare that had the spirit pulse nervously for a moment then disappear from the field. Suigin Tou's gaze dropped to the volume in her hand. She gave a tiny sigh and handed it back to Shinku. "I'm glad I purged embarrassment along with all the other hurtful feelings," she noted.

"If it makes you any less embarrassed, I did decide that the manga was something I should not only accept, but even support," her sister replied.

"Support?" Suigin Tou asked, cocking her head to one side. That her mental state had begun trickling back toward normal was evidenced by her next statement. "I never thought of you as an exhibitionist, little sister."

"Not because of something like _that_," Shinku hastened to claim. "And if you do decide to read through the series, I would ask that you skip the parts that show Jun and myself expressing our affection. For your sake _and_ for mine."

"That's probably a good idea." The First Doll's mindset was still a long way from the usual, though, and this was said thoughtfully rather than obnoxiously. "Do you think I should read the whole thing, then?"

"I think you should try, and decide for yourself after you've read the first few volumes whether to keep at it. After all, each of your sisters has seen many pieces of your story that she did not know before. It only seems fair that you should see ours as well."

Slowly, Suigin Tou nodded in agreement. "Yes, I think you're right." Her lips curved in a tiny, self-deprecating smile. "Once again."

Shinku coughed and looked away. "On a side note, if you do read it you will get to see a few times when that definitely was _not_ the case."

If Suigin Tou had been in a normal frame of mind, she would have grinned, shouted "To the bookstore!" and hurried off for a little shoplifting. As it was, though, this revelation left the First Doll staring wide-eyed. "So... why exactly did you decide to support the manga?" she asked. "It would make sense to me if it had only been written for us, rather than the entire world. If that were true I don't think I would have been angry at all. But with such an audience... why should you not only accept it, but even agree?"

"Because of what it means, to have so many people understand our story," Shinku replied quietly. "It has generated all sorts of reactions; you've seen a few of them for yourself, and there are many more besides. Some people admire us, others are curious, still others like some of us and dislike others. We have received approval, admiration, pity, envy, desire, rivalry, indifference, and more.

"But all of those reactions have one thing in common: each person who is responding, is doing so because they acknowledge that we are real, that we are worth responding to. Even if the response is indifference, that is a perfectly acceptable reaction to something that does not directly impact one's life. Nerima is now filled with people who understand enough about the Rozen Maidens to accept the reality of our existence. We now have a place where we can live and move about, without a need for secrecy or worrying what would happen if people beyond our mediums should confirm that we are real. You, Suisei Seki, Sousei Seki, Hina Ichigo, Kanaria, even Kira Kishou... rather than hiding in the home of a medium, there is a place where all of us can have meaningful, direct interaction with the world at large—even without a shape-shifting curse."

"As long as you don't mind having half the ward hit on you," Suigin Tou observed.

"Even that can be avoided, if you decide you truly do not want it." Shinku called for Holie once more. As before, the spirit circled around her open hand, summoning a rectangular object before disappearing. Shinku held the photograph out to her sister, who took it and studied it. The subject was a Japanese boy in his middle teens, with the build of a fighter but wearing clothes that looked too constricting and too high-quality to wear to a fight. His hair was black and his eyes were green. As for his face in general...

"What happened to him?" Suigin Tou asked. "I don't believe I've ever seen such a look of shock and horror."

"Keisuke is one of those people who simply doesn't care for manga. All that he knew about the Rozen Maidens, he learned from interacting with me," Shinku said. "He made a few attempts at winning me away from Jun, which we crushed as ruthlessly as you and I handled Laplace. It would have ended there, save that Hina Ichigo followed us to school one day. Keisuke decided that if he couldn't get one Rozen Maiden to fall for him, he would try another."

"I take it this picture chronicles the moment when he realized he was effectively trying to romance an eight-year-old."

"Indeed."

"Do you mind if I hold onto this for a day or two? I think that in another thirty minutes I'm going to laugh myself sick at the sight of it."

"You may keep it." Shinku smiled hopefully at her sister. _'Good,'_ she thought, _'it seems that hearing and seeing that will help her face her own situation with a little more equanimity.'_ Even at the prices Nabiki Tendo charged, it had been worth it to buy that photograph in preparation for today's meeting.

Although it still disturbed her a little, that it had been _Nabiki_ who sought _her_ out and suggested that plan, rather than the other way around.

"Thank you," Suigin Tou said. "I think it's too late for me to use a tactic like that myself. But it is... reassuring... to see proof that they can be reasonable."

"I am glad."

The First Doll took a deep breath, then said, "I'm glad too. Glad that you came here today, glad that we could talk like this. You've given me so much to think about, Shinku... I don't want you to feel unwelcome, but I need some time by myself now, to do that thinking."

Shinku inclined her head. "All right. When you would like to speak further, you're welcome to come to my home or my field. Or you can send Mei Mei and have me come here again, if you would rather."

"Thank you."

"Then, if there is nothing else, I will take my leave." Shinku turned away, ready to take the first step on her journey down the mountain. The clearing of Suigin Tou's throat arrested her motion. She turned back to face her elder sister, an inquisitive look on her face.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Suigin Tou asked. When Shinku just gazed blankly back at her, she stared meaningfully down to the mountain beneath her feet. Or more specifically, at a heaped-up pile of sleet and snow that had accumulated in the lee of a boulder. Once the Fifth Doll was looking at it as well, Suigin Tou elaborated, "A certain guest-gift you brought?"

Shinku blurted a particularly unpleasant word in German. "Suisei Seki is never going to let me hear the end of this," she groaned. "I wonder if there's any way I could fool her with a replacement cactus."

Suigin Tou made a mental note to bring up that comment the next time her sister tried to claim the moral high ground. Then, with a self-satisfied grin, she extended a wing and brushed the snow away.

The Fifth Doll blinked. The cactus wasn't there after all. She glanced around, but saw no sign of it, nor any other piles of slush that would be big enough to cover it. She turned to Suigin Tou, a question on her lips.

"Mei Mei." It was the host's turn to call her artificial spirit to summon something. Mei Mei spun at the far reach of Suigin Tou's still-extended wing, bringing the plant in question into existence. Suigin Tou caught it without looking and brought it around in front of her, her grin now an outright smirk.

That expression vanished, though, as the cactus entered her direct field of vision. Suigin Tou hadn't really noticed the changes it went through earlier, as the color bled away from it and the spines multiplied. She'd been too caught up in her own turmoil. But those things had happened because the plant had been entirely within her grasp at that point, a true part of her N-field and under no-one's influence but hers, and so she had been aware of them on some level.

Now the cactus stood an inch taller than when Shinku had held it. Its hue had deepened to a healthy green with hints of blue. There were still spines, but they were shorter and softer than that species ever naturally produced. And at the very top, there was a tight-closed, pale lavender flower bud.

"Are you still certain you wish me to take it with me when I go?" Shinku asked, breaking the long, awed silence.

Suigin Tou didn't say anything for a while. Then, with a motion of her head halfway between a shake and a nod, she said, "Yes. I still am."

Her younger sister didn't say anything, just stood quietly and regarded her, waiting for Suigin Tou to meet her gaze.

The First Doll took a deep breath and did that. "I'm still not ready. When I am... then I'll ask you to bring it back."

* * *

Author's Notes

Good freakin' grief, that was long. In fact, chapter 7 by itself is longer than the entirety of _Atmung._ I suppose length was inevitable, though, since I was trying to give equal weight and importance to four different characters and interweave two separate major conversations plus action. I did consider splitting the Jun-Megu and Shinku-Suigin Tou interactions into separate chapters, but decided against it in the end.

If anyone's curious, until the Friday meeting of chapter 5 Natsume had not been aware of Uryu's interest in Suigin Tou. Learning that was what spurred her to force her way past the student-sensei barrier. If it had been some other, more normal girl that had caught Uryu's eye, Natsume might not have been able to do so... but learning that you could lose the man you want to a two-foot-high animated doll? I imagine it would give any girl a swift kick in the motivation.

This is the end of _Megu and Suigin Tou's Excellent Adventures_, though it's possible I may write a sequel to it one of these days. To anyone who's read this far, I hope you've enjoyed it. I have tried to include many thought-provoking ideas while holding true to a trend I saw in the original series—answering only some of the questions raised by the material and leaving the viewers to think about the remaining issues for themselves.


End file.
